


Fated Mistake

by Pab0panda



Series: Chanbaek [2]
Category: EXO (Band), K-pop, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Angst, Arranged Marriage, Drama, Fluff, Gangs, M/M, Romance, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 18:48:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 43
Words: 96,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21933352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pab0panda/pseuds/Pab0panda
Summary: Four strangers. Two Weddings. A fated switch. A millionaire’s son isn't supposed to marry a gang leader. A gang leader’s heir isn't supposed to marry a Minister’s son. Right?
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol, Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Kim Jongin | Kai
Series: Chanbaek [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1580509
Comments: 151
Kudos: 342





	1. Intro

**< < ** **Do Kyungsoo** ** >>**

The beloved son of a successful Korean-American businessman  
Instead of marrying the charming Park Chanyeol, the son of Korean Minister of Public Administration & Security,  
he ended up being married to Kim Jongin, the heir of a large criminal syndicate.

**< < Byun Baekhyun >>**

The only son of a Korean gang leader  
Although he is supposed to marry Kim Jongin, the son of his father’s partner,  
he wrongly married Park Chanyeol,  
the son of the Minister who is conducting an investigation against his own dad.

  


** << Park Chanyeol >>   
**

The son of Korean Minister of Public Administration & Security

**< < Kim Jongin >>   
**

The heir of a large Korean criminal syndicate 

And then, there was this mysterious guy who came out of nowhere  
but knew more than he was supposed to.

**Bad** **is to be forced into marriage.**  
 **Worse** **is to marry the wrong man.**  
 **Worst** **is to fall in love with that wrong husband.**


	2. You may kiss the groom

**You may kiss the groom... But make sure to kiss the right one.**

With an IQ of 145, Kyungsoo had never considered himself as stupid. But how came he just made the most idiotic decision ever. Baekhyun would label himself as creative. Imaginative. Yet, never in a million years could he think of this scenario.

They made a mistake. A big mistake. Kyungsoo should never have pretended to be Baekhyun. As less as Baekhyun should have pretended to be Kyungsoo.

Days ago, they both finally accept the marriage their parents had arranged. You thought this was bad. Double it. Things could be worse when you were supposed to marry a stranger. But living in the 21st century, the boys didn’t need to obey their parents, right? You only live once, wasn’t that the motto? Therefore, hours ago, they both decided to run away from their weddings. 

So how did they end up here? At the wedding of a stranger. Marrying another stranger.

“At this time, I’ll ask you, Park Chanyeol, and you, Do Kyungsoo, to face each other and take each other’s hands.” The priest asked, and the young men did as they were told. Believe it or not, this was the first time they held each other’s hands. Considering the fact that they were marring even though they had never met, this was going well. Too well.

In the meantime, in another wedding hall, that was as grand, as luxurious, and as elegant as the other wedding hall; two other young people were tying the knot as well.

“Kim Jongin, will you take Byun Baekhyun to be your husband, your partner in life and your one true love? Will you cherish his friendship and love him today, tomorrow and forever? Will you trust and honor him, laugh with him and cry with him? Will you be faithful through good times and bad, in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?”

“I will,” said Jongin dryly without any hesitation.

“Byun Baekhyun, will you take Kim Jongin to be your husband, your partner in life and your one true love? Will you cherish his friendship and love him today, tomorrow and forever? Will you trust and honor him, laugh with him and cry with him? Will you be faithful through good times and bad, in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?”

“I…I,” stuttered the brown-haired boy as everyone held their breath for the answer. As if they already feared this moment. As if they already knew something could go wrong. Because they knew. What else was actually to expect when the rebellious heirs of the two largest criminal syndicates were forced to marry. Two strangers forced to be a family from the first day they met. It was an open secret everybody knew about.

“I do,” the young man finally said. When he was a child, he had always loved that moment at a wedding, when the officiant said, “You may kiss the groom”. But when he became a teenager, he started to ask himself what’d the officiant say if two men marry? Who would be kissed? Who would be the bride? Never would he have thought he could find out the answer at his own wedding. But he did. He felt the cold, short kiss from Jongin, his so-called husband, on his lips. He knew why. Jongin wanted to show his dominance.

“Oh god, what have you done, Do Kyungsoo?” He thought with regrets. “And who the hell is Byun Baekhyun?”

Meanwhile, feeling as paralyzed as he did, the real Baekhyun was facing the same question.

“Kyungsoo?” Chanyeol whispered confusingly to the boy in front of him. “Do Kyungsoo?”

And his voice successfully brought the boy back to earth.

“Kyungsoo?” Baekhyun thought silently. “Oh shit, he means me.”

“I do,” he said.

19 hours before the weddings

“Why? Why, you asked?” Baekhyun shouted in disbelieve at the muscular man sitting opposite him. “Should I really explain why I want my father at my own wedding that only happens because you forced me to marry a stranger for your business’ sake?”

“You weren’t strangers. You met once before.”

“When we were kids,” Baekhyun corrected. “He doesn’t even know how I look like.”

“How many times do I have to tell you that anonymity has the highest priority in our branch? Will you ever fucking learn?” His dad asked.

“That was not the answer to my question.”

“I am in jail.” The older man stated coldly the fact.

“Well, that was why I asked to delay the wedding. Three months is not a long time. You’re my father, so you should at least be at my wedding.”

“Can you ever stop being so needy? You’re not a baby anymore. I won’t take your hand and help you do everything.” Baekhyun’s father raised his voice.

“For someone who doesn’t even know when it’s his son’s birthday, you’re really positive about being a good father. But you know what? Let me get this straight. You are not a good father, but you’re the only one I have, so I tried to respect and love you. But that’s impossible. You make it impossible. You never care about anybody else but yourself. You’re as selfish as f*ck. No wonder mum ran away from you.” Losing the last self-control, Baekhyun yelled at his father as loud as he could, ignored the fact that they were in a room full of policemen and prisoners.

“You, little shit, dare to talk to me like that?” His father jumped up from the seat but was held back by the handcuff that was fixed on the table.

Not even blinking in fear, Baekhyun stood up slowly, telling his dad.

“I’m done with you.”

Then he turned away and was about to leave as something seemed to bother him, causing him to turn back.

“You know what? I really hope they’ll find more than tax evasion to keep you inside forever because you deserve it. I slowly think it’s even better for me if you don’t come to my wedding. I don’t need you or any of your men to babysit me. I don’t want to see any of you at my shit wedding. Bye, dad.” Baekhyun said, emphasizing the word ‘dad’ with as much sarcasm as possible before heading to the exit.

Meanwhile, in one of the best hospitals in America, a brown-haired boy told his father, who was lying on a hospital bed with his wife next to him.

“Dad, I think it’s better if you don’t come to my wedding.”

“But it’s your wedding.” The man argued and Kyungsoo agreed. Even though the marriage was not his wish but his parents, he still wanted them by his side when he became a part of a stranger’s family.

“Your dad is right, sweetheart. Korea is far away from America and everything is different there. I should come with you.” His mother said.

“Mom, I’m marrying the son of the Minister for Security. What could happen to me? Being kidnapped by some gang?” Kyungsoo asked, laughing.

“It’s the Minister of Public Administration and Security. And you know I don’t like that kind of joke.” Mrs. Do corrected her son.

“I’m sorry, mom.”

“Honey, don’t be so strict to him. He is going to marry. Look, how he pouted like a lost puppy now.” Kyungsoo’s dad told his wife before turning to him. “Your mother is right. At least one of us should go with you. We’re your only family after all.”

“That’s why I want you to take care of yourself. Having a heart attack is not a joke. You shouldn’t be alone right now. Mom should stay with you. It’s just a wedding. It’s not like I’ll leave forever. I’ll visit you guys with Chaneol-ssi as soon as possible.” Kyungsoo explained.

“It’s Chanyeol, silly boy. You should at least know his name by now.” Mr. Do said, shaking his head slowly.

“I’ll be fine,” guaranteed Kyungsoo.

5 hours before the weddings

“Chanyeol?” A man in a black suit called, knocking at the door. His right hand was holding a folder tightly as if he was worried he could lose it.

“Come in,” the young man replied as he turned around to find the Minister of Public Administration and Security entering the room.

“They finally send us the file,” The Minister said.

“And I am the opinion that you should be the first one to look at it.”

He handed the folder to the boy. Chanyeol took it with hesitation, but as soon as he had it in his hand, he knew what to do.

“You hadn’t read it already?” He questioned.

“As I said, I want you to be the first one to read it.” His father answered calmly.

“That’s very unlike you.”

“After 11 years of uncertainty, if the world finally comes to know who Do Kunhee’s son is, you should be the first person to get the information. You have the right to know everything about your future husband.”

“That’s a very noble offer of you, to let me know what his favorite color is, what his hobbies are, to which school he went and how my future husband looks like, and that five hours before the wedding. Thank you.” Chanyeol said, not even trying to hide the sarcasm.

“You’re mad. That’s understandable.” Mr. Park replied.

“No, I don’t think you understand. I love my country and I know my father is going to be the best president South Korea will ever have; so if your billionaire high school friend is willing to sponsor your campaign with the condition of me marrying his son as a quid pro quo, I’m fine with it. What makes me angry is the fact that you see my future husband as a suspect…”

“… a folder,” Chanyeol corrected. “He is a human. Not something that could be summarized in a folder. If you want me to marry him, respect him. I don’t want any prejudgment because something that could be written in a file. I want you to do the same. That’s the least you owe me, father.”

“Sometimes I hate how much you got from your mother.” The Minister promised.

92 Minutes before the weddings

The man wearing the black leather jacket was taller than everyone else in the parking lot. He looked younger than the others, harmless and calm. However, appearances are deceiving.

“Listen, son of a bitch, you’re only still breathing because I want you to. Tell your shitty boss, this is no longer his territory. He should have thought about this as he decided to break the deal and invited the cops to our meeting.”

The man stated determinedly, throwing the bleeding guy to the ground.

“We didn’t.” The man on the ground whispered in pain.

“You dare to say we called the cops?” The tall young man asked aggressively. He was about to come at the other as one of his men stopped him.

“Jongin,” called the man in an expensive suit. He seemed to be a few years older than Jongin, but still younger than the others.

“I’ll take care of him. You’re late.” He warned.

“For what?” Jongin questioned cockily.

“For your wedding,” answered everybody together.

“This is so annoying,” shouted Jongin out loud, but still, he made his way to his wedding.

“And who am I marrying?” He asked.

“Boss, his name is Byun Baekhyun. His father is Byun Taeksoo, the leader of the South Black Lotus. His nickname is …-”

“Do you think I have time for this shit or do you like to waste my time?” The impatient boss warned. 

“I’m sorry. Byun Baekhyun, 24, born in Bucheon, his mother ran away as he was 4, a black belt in taekwondo but even better at shooting, he has – ”

“Wait, give me that,” Jongin interrupted the man next to him, grabbing the iPad from the other’s hand. He read carefully everything and seemed to be lightly impressed.

“No picture?”

“No, boss,” answered his employee.

“Typically, the Black Lotus, taking anonymity too serious; it’s the 21st century! There is no such thing as anonymity, not even for a gangster. Such a backward family.”

88 Minutes until the weddings

It has been over an hour since Kyungsoo’s plane landed and since over an hour, he had been sitting there, watching people passed by. Some looked tired from the long flight, some seemed to be happy to finally get home, and some couldn’t hide the excitement of exploring Korea. Everyone looked like they knew where to go and where they belonged to. None of them was lost.

“Are you lost?” A gentle voice asked. At first, Kyungsoo thought the boy sitting next to him was talking to someone else, but as the boy tapped his shoulder lightly, he realized the stranger was talking to him. How weird for a Korean to have such blond hair, but it suited his modern and fashionable style almost perfectly. Nothing he would wear and yet he had to admit it was tasteful.

“I don’t think so,” he answered.

“You’re not sure if you’re lost or not?” The other boy questioned amusedly. Kyungsoo smiled.

“No, I’m just not sure anymore if I want to go to the place I’m supposed to.”

“Why don’t you want to go there anymore?” Kyungsoo looked at his ‘new friend’ puzzled. The blond boy just met him, but he was talking as if they were best buddies, how weird.

“Someone who is very important to me expects me to go there and I don’t want to disappoint that person, but I really don’t want to … go there.” Kyungsoo answered and within a second, he wondered why he did that. He was about to tell a stranger his life story. Maybe it was because he really needed someone to talk to right now. Who knew?

“Then don’t go. Someone who really loves you would never expect you to do something against your will.” The boy suggested. Kyungsoo froze. Funny was, he was, in fact, thinking about following that stranger’s advice.

“Anyway, good luck,” the blond boy said, standing up. Yet, before he could be out of sights, Kyungsoo caught up to him.

“Wait,” he called. “Thank you for the advice. Please take this.”

Kyungsoo handed the other boy his cap. The stranger looked at the red cap as if he didn’t know how to respond but then he smiled.

“Cute,” he said, putting it on his head. “Thank you,… ”

“Kyungsoo. My name is Do Kyungsoo.”

“Well thank you, Kyungsoo. I’m Baekhyun.”

“No, thank you, Baekhyun-ssi”

Making his way to the exit, Baekhyun pulled down the cap to hide his face. As he saw two men in black, one was holding a sheet of paper with his name ‘Byun Baekhyun’ written on it; he automatically turned away, heading to the other direction. After a few steps, two policemen suddenly stood in his way, almost causing him a heart attack. Being the son of a gang member, his instinct to hide and run as soon as he saw cops. And he was about to follow his instinct until one of the officers spoke.

“Do Kyungsoo?”

“Who?” Baekhyun mumbled, turned around to check if the man was talking to him. Kyungsoo? Wasn’t that the boy he just met? He would have told them he wasn’t that Kyungsoo boy if the man with his name sign wasn’t looking at him.

“Mr. Do? Mr. Park is very sorry he can’t pick you up personally.”

“Mr. Park?” Baekhyun asked unsurely. Was that Kyungsoo guy a criminal too? Were they here to arrest him?

“Yes, your father in law,” the policeman said.

“Oh, of course, my father,” Turned around, Baekhyun noticed the other man was still looking at him.

“… in law.” He played.

“Yes, I’m Do Kyungsoo. Can we go? Now?” He said, pushing the two men to the exit.

“What a relief, we thought we didn’t saw you. I’d have to start wearing glasses if I really missed a red cap?” The man said joyfully. “But you needed a lot of time in there. Is everything alright?” He asked.

“Redcap?” Baekhyun thought and remembered what Kyungsoo said earlier.

“No, I’m just not sure anymore if I want to go to the place I‘m supposed to.”

“Wait! Thank you for the advice. Please take this.”

“That brat, he is smarter than he looks like.” Baekhyun murmured.

“Yes, everything is fine.” He replied to the officer.

** 5 Minutes ago **

Kyungsoo felt the cold hit him as he realized how many policemen were at the airport. Each of them could be sent by Chanyeol’s father. It wasn’t easy to get rid of his own bodyguard, he couldn’t go that far and then let himself be caught by some policemen who probably didn’t even know how he looks like. The best option that he could think of at that moment was getting rid of the red cap first. Mission succeeded. Now he didn’t have to fear anything anymore. That was until he noticed the officer walking toward him. He panicked. Grabbed the next driver with a name sign he saw, Kyungsoo said.

“Hello, I am…,” looked down at the sign, he finished. “Byun Baekhyun.”

When they reached the parking plot, he told the men, he wasn’t Byun Baekhyun and apologized. To his surprise, the men in black didn’t believe him.

“We don’t have time for your little game, Mr. Byun. Please get in.” One of them said, opening the door for Kyungsoo. Yet the boy didn’t move.

“Mr. Byun, we wouldn’t want to hurt you, but we don’t have a choice if you don’t listen.”

Kyungsoo shivered but he got in the car. How could things go that far? Not even two hours on his own and he was kidnapped? Maybe his parents were right. He wasn’t able to take care of himself. Maybe he should never have tricked his bodyguard. The man was just doing his job.

“Where… Where are you taking me?” He pulled himself together to ask.

“To your wedding, of course,” answered the man in black and so did the officer in Baekhyun’s car.

“This must be a bad joke.” The two boys thought in disbelief. They didn’t run away from one wedding to end up with another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I know the first chapter is very confusing.  
> But yeah long story, short: Baekhyun and Kyungsoo pretend to be each other and mess up hahaha


	3. Did you see it coming?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I posted the chapters in the wrong order, so this chapter was missing.

"Mr. Do, is everything alright? You look pale." The policeman sitting in the front passenger seat turned his head to look at Baekhyun.

  
"Sure, I'm fine," answered the young man evenly. This was not the first time he had sat in a car with two cops, but it was definitely the first time he wasn't handcuffed. How could this even happen? It must be a very bad joke. He tried to run away from his own wedding and ended up on the way to another one? Something looked pretty fishy. Since when were cops chauffeurs?

"Arg, this is too confusing." He sighed. What kind of weird circus was this?

Baekhyun could freak out right now, but he didn't. If there was one good thing he had learned from his father, it was how to stay calm and control the situation, no matter what dilemma he was facing.

At that moment it seemed like the best option was to wait until they got to their destination and to leave quietly. How hard could it be to leave a wedding? He only needed to get rid of these two cops, right?

The car stopped, and his jaw dropped. The hotel – from the entrance to the wedding hall – was full of men in uniform: the police, the marine, the military. Baekhyun couldn't believe his eyes.

_ "Who the fuck are these people? Whose wedding is this?" _

_ ___________________________ _

Kyungsoo scanned the room, corner to corner. He was now alone. Not entirely; he knew the men from the airport were still outside. They said the 'boss' wanted to have a talk with him before 'it' started. Kyungsoo took a look at the invitation on the table: _"Kim Jongin – Byun Baekhyun"_. So _his_ name was 'Jongin'? The door opened. He turned around, his curious eyes fixed on the man in front of him. There he was, the 'boss', the 'bridegroom'. Kyungsoo wasn't sure what he was supposed to feel at that moment. He was now overloaded with various emotions.

Anxiety? After all, the men who brought him here were armed. And yet they called this guy 'boss'. To be honest Kyungsoo could already tell who these people were. Guns? Gang tattoos? It was too obvious. But speaking it out loud would make it feel so real, so he didn't dare to.

Relief? Finally, someone might recognize he was not Baekhyun. It was a misunderstanding and if he explained everything, the 'boss' might understand and let him go.

But what if the other man didn't understand? What would they do to him when he was no longer of use to them?

The man was tall, well built. Even though he was wearing a suit, his muscles were far from hidden. He had an uncontroversially handsome face; his big eyes were especially breathtaking. Kyungsoo hadn't expected the 'boss' to be so young and so _attractive_.

_ "He looks nice. Maybe he is,"  _ he thought hopefully.

"I'm sorry, as you can see I am not –" Kyungsoo almost managed to tell the man he was not Byun Baekhyun, whose name he had only read from a sheet of paper when he was suddenly attacked by the bridegroom. A strong hand covered his mouth while the other strangled him mercilessly. Kyungsoo panicked. He felt helpless. He could neither move nor cry for help. The force on his neck was so strong that he was sure he would be killed by a broken neck before he died from lack of oxygen.

_ "I take everything back. He is far from nice." _

To his surprise, the other man loosened his grip.

"Listen, brat, I hate this blind marriage as much as you do, but not everyone is born to be the only heir like you, lucky bastard. Some people must protect their position from their brothers, even if that includes marrying your gay ass to make father happy. So if you cause me any trouble, I'll break every one of your bones before I blow your brains out. I don't want to see any stupidity. You will now come out of this room and carry out the wedding. And if you try to run away I will break your fucking neck. Understand?"

Kyungsoo nodded silently. This was definitely not what he had expected.

Satisfied, the 'boss' finally let go and left as suddenly as he had come. Before he went through the door, he added,

"Remember this; _the moment you become a burden, I'll kill you_."

The door slammed shut. Kyungsoo fell on the floor, breathing hard. This was déjà vu.

_ The young Kyungsoo was sitting in a corner on the bed, his back against the wall, so that he could keep an eye on the whole hunter's cabin. The middle-aged woman sitting at the dining table stood up and started to pace back and forth. She bit her nails and turned her head to the door every time she walked in the other direction. The phone rang. She flinched. Within a second she answered. _

_ "Do you have it?" She asked impatiently. Then she screamed very loudly. _

_ "Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my god. What do we do now?" _

_ "I'm calm. Hurry up." _

About thirty minutes later, Kyungsoo heard a car stop in front of the hunter's cabin and a man rushed into the room. He dropped the gym bag he was holding in his hand onto the ground and kissed the woman passionately as soon as he saw her.

_ "Is this it?" She pointed at the gym bag, asking excitedly. _

_ "Yes, it is, baby. 10 Million Euro in cash," he said proudly. She looked into the bag and couldn't believe her own eyes. _

_ "Oh my god, I have never seen so much money," she gasped. _

_ "Get used to it, honey. You're a rich woman now," the man replied. _

_ "Let's leave now. I can't wait to get out of this damned place," she said. _

_ "Sure, I just need to take care of one last thing," he said, pulling out his gun. _

_ "What... What are you doing?" she stuttered in shock. _

_ "We don't need him anymore. He'll only become a burden. Let's get rid of him." The man said, pointing the gun at the young Kyungsoo. _

Kyungsoo flinched as someone tapped his shoulder. A woman was looking at him as if she was waiting for something. A short moment of silence passed, and she finally said something.

"Sir?"

"Ahm, excuse me?" he questioned hesitantly.

"Are you ready? It's about time."

"About time?"

"Yes, sir. The ceremony is going to start now," the woman answered. She headed to the door and opened it for him.

"Are you coming?" she asked. Kyungsoo stared at the open door and sighed.

"I don't have a choice, do I?" he mumbled.

______________________

Baekhyun was counting every second to the end of the wedding. He was sure that when the guests left, it would be chaotic and thus the best opportunity to escape from this freaking place. It was getting late. The first guests should be ready to leave now.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I ask for attention?" Everyone looked at the stage. Mr. Park, Chanyeol’s father, was speaking.

"I haven't given the young couple a wedding present yet and I'd like to do it now."

"Holly shit!" Baekhyun screamed in his mind as he found himself standing before a private jet.

"Dad?" questioned Chanyeol who also was surprised by his father's unexpected wedding present.

"Have a great honeymoon, my dears," Mr. Park said, smiling.

"Dad, this is really..."

"Ahm excuse me?" Baekhyun interrupted his _husband_.

"Yes, Kyungsoo?" replied the Parks simultaneously.

"Where are we going?" Baekhyun asked.

"It's a surprise. I hope you'll like it," Chanyeol's father answered.

"Ok, great," Baekhyun forced a polite smile. " _More_ surprises, I _love_ surprises," he lied.

______________________

"Really? You're not gonna let me out of this room?" Kyungsoo asked the man at the door.

"Isn't this kind of my home now? I can't even look around?" he argued.

"Sir, I was told to not let you out. The boss said he'll be right back." the man answered dryly.

"Yeah, that was what you told me three hours ago too."

"I was told to not let you out until the boss-" he repeated.

_ "You said it already, for God's sake," _ Kyungsoo cut off the man. _"Why is everyone so afraid of him? Who the hell is he?"_

The older man shot a questioning glance at him.

"You can leave now." Jongin's voice ended the conversation. The 'guard' left without a word and so Kyungsoo was left with Jongin alone. To be honest, he preferred the earlier situation.

"I'm...," he said faintly. "I'm not going to rot in this room forever, am I?"

Jongin stepped closer and whispered in the other's ear. "If it were my choice, I wouldn't mind it."

Kyungsoo held his breath until his so-called husband stepped back.

"But we don't always get what we want, do we?" Jongin said.

"Come in," he shouted out for someone. And seconds later a man in a dark blue suit entered the room. He looked older than Jongin, but still very young. 

"This is Suho. He is your 24/7 bodyguard. From now on, you're his business. As long as you don't cause me any trouble, you should stay alive."

"Do you understand me?" Jongin asked after not receiving any response from 'Baekhyun'.

Kyungsoo still didn't react. His faced paled. He had seen this man before. He _knew_ this man. But worse was, this man knew _him_.

_ "Jun Myeon hyung, can we start the lesson a bit later? I'm so hungry," the young boy asked with puppy eyes. _

_ "Kyungsoo," Jun Myeon answered, "Homeschool doesn't mean you can do what you want." _

_ "Okay," replied the little boy, looking down sadly. Jun Myeon sighed but gave in. _

_ "Fine, you can eat first. But this is not going to happen again. Understand?" _

_ "I understand. You're the best, hyung," beamed the young Kyungsoo. _

"Suho, this is him, Byun Baekhyun. Just don't lose him and make sure he is home when father wants to see him." Jongin introduced 'Baekhyun'.

" _This_ is your husband? _Byun Baekhyun_?" Suho asked unsurely.

"That's what I just said, isn't it? Is there any problem? Do you know him?"

Kyungsoo widened his eyes in fear. Of course, he knew him. Jun Myeon had been his private teacher. He was in big trouble now. Not being the real Byun Baekhyun didn't have to mean his death but being a millionaire's son? Old memories came up to his mind. How was he going to survive another kidnapping?

_"This is the end. He is going to kill me."_ Kyungsoo thought.


	4. Well and Alive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I posted the chapters in the wrong order, so there was a chapter missing. Please go back and read the previous chapter.

_"This is Suho. He is your bodyguard."_

Did you know there are seven billion people in the world? So why did it had to be Suho, his former home teacher? A ton of questions filled Kyungsoo's mind but the most important one was "How was he getting out of this mess... alive?" Suho's staring paralyzed the younger boy's body.

"Do you know him?" Jongin repeated. Kyungsoo held his breath. His chest ached.

...

"No I don't," answered Suho dryly. Now it was Kyungsoo staring at Suho.

" _How_? How did you forget someone you had spent 3 years with? And how could someone like Jun Myeon end up here? What was his relationship to Jongin? Was this Suho guy even his Jun Myeon hyung?" Kyungsoo's head was overheating with questions he couldn't answer.

When Jongin finally left, Kyungsoo saw his chance to talk to Jun Myeon, or Suho, or whoever this person really was.

"You – " His voice faltered. Suho interrupted him.

"Are you crazy? What the hell are you doing here... Kyungsoo?" Kyungsoo gasped.

"You're really Jun Myeon hyung?"

"Who else could I be? Answer me, Kyungsoo. Why are you here? Do you know what kind of place this is? Why do they think you're Byun Baekhyun?"

You might call him naive but at that moment Kyungsoo knew very well it could be a huge mistake to tell Jun Myeon the truth, considering the whole situation. Yet he had always been one those people who relied on their feelings and right now he felt he could trust Jun Myeon.

"What? How could you run away?" Suho spoke through his hands on his face.

Kyungsoo laughed lightly. That had always been Suho's way to say Kyungsoo was hopeless. He often did that when Kyungsoo made a stupid mistake. After all that had happened, seeing something so familiar made Kyungsoo feel much better. He couldn't help but embrace his friend.

"I'm so glad you're here."

Suho gently patted Kyungsoo's head. He wasn't surprised by the younger's action. Kyungsoo had never hesitated to show his feelings and that was what made him so unique.

"It's very nice to see again. I can't say I'm glad to see you here though. I don't like the fact that you're here a bit. The Kim's residence is not a place where you can come and go as you please," Suho replied.

"Who exactly are those people? Tell me, please. And how come you're here?" Kyungsoo asked, stepping back.

"Well, have you ever heard of the Three Colors of the Underworld?"

"You mean the three biggest syndicates of Korea? Basically, nothing but that's a very cheesy name for gangs."

"Kyungsoo, you can't underestimate them."

"I don't. Tell me about them."

"Well, the Three Colors of the Underworld are the Black Lotus, the White Snake and the Red Devils; they have been rivals for decades. But last year the Red Devils started to cooperate with a Japanese gang and they gained a lot of influence. Consequently, the Black Lotus and the White Snake have to work together to keep the balance. But it's not easy to suddenly end animosity for good. The members still couldn't trust each other."

"The marriage… don't tell me..."

"Yes... The leaders decided to let their heirs marry as a sign of a new big family. That's why Kim Jongin - who is, by the way, the White Snake's heir - was forced to marry Byun Baekhyun, the Black Lotus' heir. That means you'll be in big trouble once they find out you are _not_ Byun Baekhyun."

"It was a stupid mistake," Kyungsoo said and silence followed. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Who did Jongin think he was? "Stupid mistake" was a huge understatement.

"But I still don't get what you're doing here?" Kyungsoo asked after a while.

"Uhm, well I am ..." Jun Myeon signaled Kyungsoo to come closer to whisper in his ear.

"Undercover."

"Un-" Kyungsoo almost yelled loudly. Luckily Suho managed to put his hand on his mouth.

"You don't have to let everybody know about that. I'll be in trouble." The older boy spoke under his breath.

"I'm sorry."

Then Kyungsoo couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"What's so funny?" Suho asked.

"I just still can't believe you actually became an officer and you are even undercover," Kyungsoo answered, whispering the U word.

"Maybe it's because I have a criminal's face?" the older joked, making Kyungsoo laugh again.

"Yeah, it's written on your forehead: 'I'm a criminal. I'd steal your last cookie while you're doing your homework.'"

"You still remember that?" Suho cackled, putting his hand on his mouth to stifle his laughter.

"You're so cute," he added. But then his expression turned serious.

"Listen, I'll get you out of here. Don't worry. I'll arrange everything tomorrow and you'll get home safely very soon. So please bear with this place for a few days. I promise nothing is gonna happen to you. Do you trust me?"

Kyungsoo nodded.

"Good, you should go to sleep now. I'll leave now but I'll be back in the morning."

"Hyung, thank you. I don't know what to say, only that I am really thankful." Kyungsoo said.

"Don't think too much. Take some rest, ok? Goodnight."

"Goodnight, hyung."

_______

Jongin dropped himself onto the bed. It surprised him how tired he was. He stared at the ceiling with half-closed eyes, wondering if _Byun Baekhyun_ – the man he just married was really 2 older than him. If he didn’t know better, he might have thought _Baekhyun_ was younger than him. _Baekhyun_ looked much younger than Jongin had imagined… and much prettier. _Baekhyun_ didn’t look like the heir of a gang at all. He rather looked like a nerd… a bookworm. Someone who would be the teacher’s favorite.

Then, Kai remembered how scared _Baekhyun_ looked when he threatened the other boy. _“ Maybe I overdid it a bit?"_

" _Whatever_." He groaned, pulled the blanket over his shoulder and fell asleep.

__---__

Pulling the cover over his head, Kyungsoo hoped that if he couldn't see this strange room, all that happened could be a dream. He tried to silence his mind. When morning came, it felt like he hardly got any sleep. His head ached terribly, and his eyes burned. His throat was dry. He walked downstairs to get himself some water. He remembered seeing the kitchen when he was taken to his room.

 _"Maybe Jongin isn't up yet. I should be quiet,"_ Kyungsoo thought.

He drank up the glass of water and carefully put it down on the kitchen counter. He was suddenly reminded of his mother. It was her who told him to drink water when he woke up because it was healthy. It had now become a habit.

" _Mom_ ," he murmured. He missed her, and he missed his dad.

_"Would they be mad if I came back like this? They would probably be very disappointed."_

"You're up already? Could you sleep?" Kyungsoo flinched as he heard someone's footsteps, but he relaxed again as he recognized Suho's voice.

"Jun Myeon hyung, good morning," he greeted.

"Good morning," the older boy said, sitting down next to Kyungsoo.

"Please do me a favor and call me Suho, ok? That's my name here," he said.

"Oh right, sorry hyung."

"And I'll call you Baekhyun. It's your name, don't forget that."

"Uhm, I won't." Kyungsoo nodded.

"Well, I'll make us something for breakfast."

"Maybe I should ask Jongin if he wants to join us?" Kyungsoo said uncertainly. That froze Suho for a short moment.

"No need," he replied. "He left early, and he doesn't eat in the morning anyway."

"That's not healthy though," the younger said.

"Don't worry. He's very fit."

About fifteen minutes later, Suho placed two bowls of fried rice on the table. "Kyungsoo, I have to meet a friend. He's going to take care of your problem, so I won't be home till evening. Jongin will be out till then as well. That's why you don't have to worry. Except for the guards outside, you're here alone. Is that ok?" Suho asked.

"I'd rather accompany you, hyung."

"I don't think that's a good idea. It's too dangerous for you."

"I'm not a kid anymore. I'm over 20, hyung."

"It's not about age. It's just better if you don't know much, got it?" Suho explained.

"Yes." The younger boy pouted.

Kyungsoo sighed. Suho had to leave right after breakfast. "What am I going to do the whole day?" He thought. After putting the dishes in the dishwasher, he decided to explore the Kim residence. That seemed like the most exciting thing he could do at the moment.

The house was huge. Even the garden and the pool were so big you couldn't see the neighbor's house if there was one. The concept was modern and simple but classy. There were a lot of glass doors and walls that let the sun lighten up the house. The glass made Kyungsoo feel like there were neither doors nor walls around him as if he was free.

_Such an irony._

Kyungsoo started in the kitchen. Next to it were the dining room and the living room. The kitchen was directly connected to the backyard while the living room led to the pool. Down the corridor, there were the guest's bathroom and a fitness room with a huge mat in the middle for martial arts training.

Upstairs on the right was his room. It was big but simply decorated; that gave it a spacious feeling. He was glad about that. He had his own bathroom too. His room had only a few main colors, but in contrast with the rest of the house, they were pale. White, pastel grey and blue made him feel calm. The Kim residence was covered in black and grey. There were barely any joyful colors.

The next door was open, so he entered the room. It seemed like an office. "It must be Jongin's," he thought. It had a great view of the garden and even a daybed on the balcony. The left half of the room looked like a mini living room with a couch and a flat screen on the wall, while the other half was more like an office with a large bookshelf. The number of books on it fascinated Kyungsoo. There were a lot of different kinds of books and DVDs: books about economics, juristic and general reference works, biographies, detective novels, and what Kyungsoo liked the most, psychology books. Jongin's DVD collection was also impressive. He had every Bruce Lee movies and plenty of other action movies.

The last door was surely Jongin's bedroom. Kyungsoo wondered what it looked like. Was it like the rest of the house? Or maybe more colorful? Did he have any family pictures in there? Because there wasn't one in the whole house.

"Maybe he has a huge Bruce Lee poster on the wall," Kyungsoo giggled.

But the boy ended his "discovery tour" in Jongin's office. "He wouldn't mind if I borrow a book, right?" Kyungsoo thought as he took one from the shelf.

"The best of behavior research and therapy?" he read out loud.

"Jackpot," he beamed.

After eating lunch, Kyungsoo fell asleep. He was finally tired enough to force his mind to take a break from worrying. He wasn't sure how long he had been sleeping, but his eyes immediately darted open when he heard a gunshot. He rushed down the corridor and saw Jun Myeon running upstairs. He followed the older boy to Jongin's office. His eyes widened, and he tried to catch his breath. On the floor, a middle-aged man was bleeding, a paper knife stuck in his belly. Within a second Jongin's guards were there, and they subdued the man.

"Keep him alive. I want to talk to him later," Jongin commanded. For a short moment, he couldn't hide his surprise as he saw Kyungsoo at the door. However, he was never one of those people who let the world see what they were thinking. So why should he start doing it now?

"This is what awaits you if any of you ever betray me," he added coldly, and he left the room. Walking by Kyungsoo, he didn't even look at his so-called husband.

"Here, drink up. It'll calm you down." Suho handed Kyungsoo a cup of tea. The younger boy could still feel his hands trembling.

"Hyung," Kyungsoo called. "When can I go home? I don't want to stay here anymore. I miss my parents and I hate this place." He started to panic.

"Hey, listen to me. This usually doesn't happen. The whole gang was having a crisis because of a traitor who changed to the Red Devils' side. Jongin must have found him," Suho explained.

"What will they do to him?"

Suho sighed. "Well Jongin said he wanted him alive, so he'll undergo surgery. I guess they are going to interrogate him tomorrow when he's conscious."

"Are they going to kill him?"

"Kyungsoo, that is-"

"They are, aren't they? If he doesn't tell them what they want to know, they'll kill him. And if he does, he'll be useless. They'll kill him too. Right?"

"I'll think of something. If there's no other way, my colleagues will come in."

"You won't let him die?"

"Of course not, what do you think of me? I'm still an ... you know what I mean and every life matter, even that of a criminal," Suho said.

"But won't you be uncovered, if you save him? All of your efforts will be wasted."

"Let me worry about it, ok? More important is that I've planned your escape for tomorrow, but the incident earlier changes everything. We'll leave tonight while everyone is still distracted."

"Really?"

\-------

Kyungsoo still couldn't believe it as he stood in front of a jet. Only a few more minutes and he'll be heading back to America, to his parents. After Suho introduced him to his friend, who was also the pilot, Kyungsoo hugged his hyung tightly.

"Thank you, hyung. I'm very sorry for all the troubles."

"It's fine. Get home safe and listen to your parents this time, do you hear me?" The older boy welcomed the embrace.

"I will. Despite the circumstances, I'm glad to see you again. Please be safe," Kyungsoo said.

"It was really nice to see you too. Now go."

Kyungsoo stepped onto the stairs. His mind couldn't stop worrying about Suho though. Was he being too selfish? After all the troubles he caused, he just had to go on this jet and he could leave everything behind. As if none of this had ever happened. But what would happen to the people who stayed? Jongin stabbed a man because he betrayed him. What would Jongin do to Jun Myeon, when he found out about this? Jun Myeon would lose the trust he'd worked so hard on. But what could he do if I stay?

 _"This is what awaits you if any of you ever betray me."_ Jongin's word suddenly came to his mind.

Kyungsoo shut his eyes.

"I can't leave like a coward and let him settle my mess." He groaned.

"What's wrong?" Suho asked when he saw that Kyungsoo had stopped moving. The younger boy turned around.

"I can't leave," he stated.

"What?" Jun Myeon questioned in disbelief.

"I can't risk your life for my safety, especially not when I caused the problem on my own."

"Kyungsoo, don't be stupid. Do you even know what you're doing? Are you aware of what could happen to you, if you stay?"

"I am, but I can't leave like this. You'll be in trouble because of me. You're supposed to babysit me, remember?"

"And how will you get out of that dangerous place, if not now?"

"I'll think of something. What'll happen to you once Jongin finds out you let me go? Or even worse, what if he finds out you helped me escape?"

"Let me worry about that-"

"No, I can't let people sacrifice themselves to protect me. I can't let that happen again," Kyungsoo said clearly.

"Kyungsoo," His outburst left Suho speechless.

"Let's go back, hyung," the younger boy said determinedly. At that point, Jun Myeon knew there wasn't a point in arguing. All he could do now was add Kyungsoo's protection to his mission.

Kyungsoo opened the door to the roof garden. He needed some fresh air to calm his mind. Jun Myeon was right; this decision would probably be the stupidest one he had ever made. And for some reason, he felt like he was going to pay for that soon.

The roof was neatly lit up. Even though it was after midnight, it wasn't difficult to see things clearly. Kyungsoo immediately spotted Jongin, who was sitting on the sofa. The other boy was trying to clean the wound on his right upper arm, but it wasn't working out very well.

"Do you need some help?" Kyungsoo asked. Jongin turned around and gave his husband a cold glance as he recognized him.

"No," he said dryly. Kyungsoo sat down.

"Let me help, you'll make it worse."

"I said no need," Jongin repeated. Ignoring him, Kyungsoo grabbed the disinfectant and started to clean Jongin's wound carefully.

"So annoying," murmured Jongin, yet he still let the other boy give him a hand. When he felt Kyungsoo fiercely staring at his arm, he asked,

"What? Never seen a gunshot wound before?"

_A gunshot wound?_

How could Kyungsoo forget about it? He had sensed something was odd. When they rushed into the office and saw the man bleeding, no one thought of the gunshot anymore. But why would Jongin attack him with a paperknife when he had a gun? Was the gun on the floor even his?

 _"Thinking about it, the gun could also belong to the other man,"_ Kyungsoo thought.

Now he remembered. The vase behind Jongin had been broken. Could that mean Jongin was shot? If that was true, stabbing the older man could have been his only defense.

" _Is it possible-"_ Kyungsoo raised his head to look at Jongin. " _Is it possible that he's not a bad person?"_

As if Jongin could feel Kyungsoo's eyes on him, he turned to Kyungsoo and their eyes met. He thought Kyungsoo would look away within a second - like everybody did. Yet he didn't.

Then, in a flash Jongin stood up, leaving the roof. "Good job," he said while walking away. It was his way to say thank you.

"You're welcome," Kyungsoo mumbled. He now noticed how hot his face felt. He was blushing.

Jongin slammed the door to his bedroom shut and leaned against it.

"What the hell was that?"

He couldn't believe for a moment he thought "Baekhyun" was quite pretty. And that look in his eyes; there wasn't fear, or lust, or disgust, unlike when other people looked at him. "Baekhyun's" eyes were clear, pure. It felt like they weren't judging him. Was he imagining things? 


	5. Knowledge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a mistake and skipped chapter 2, so it was added later. If you haven't read it yet, please read it before this chapter.

They arrived at the hotel and Baekhyun thought he dropped his jaw on the ground. If someone asked him how he imagined heaven, he'd probably have described this place. White and soft sand, water as clear as glass and the perfect combination of warm sunlight on his skin with fresh wind; it was a flawless masterpiece of nature.  
"Welcome to Maldives, Mister Do and Mister Park," greeted the man in the black suit. The nameplate said Da-something, but Baekhyun couldn't read it without his glasses.

"Have you been here before, Kyungsoo?" Chanyeol asked. Baekhyun shook his head.

"No, it has been a while since my last time abroad." He thought of his last and only time flying to a foreign county. He was 16 and traveled to London all by himself to look for his mother. After almost two months he was literally carried home by his father's employees. Since then he had never had the chance to go aboard again. He still remembered the fight with his father when he got home. They fought a lot, and that one of the worst.

_"Give me the fucking passport." Baekhyun heard his father clearly._

_"No. What do you want with it?" he asked._

_"I'll burn that shit." Baekhyun clenched his teeth. His dad meant it. He would throw his passport into the fire without hesitation._

_"You don't have the right to do that. If you don't look for mother, I'll do it. I don't give a fuck about what you want."_

_"What mother? She left you when you were five. You can't even remember her."_

_"She left you. Not me. Because she couldn't bear with you anymore. It's all because of you, I am motherless. Fuck you!" Baekhyun yelled._

_"Shut up, ungrateful brat." His father pried the passport out of his hands and threw it into the burning fireplace._

After that, Baekhyun had tried many times to make a new passport, but it never worked out. He had no idea how his father did it, but that didn't astonish him. After all, money could buy anything.

"I have never been here either. This is a beautiful location, isn't it?" Chanyeol asked.

"Yes, it's incredible," Baekhyun answered. In order to stay at this heaven-like place, he'd gratefully play Do Kyungsoo for a bit longer.

The hotel manager led them to their villa which was above the crystal ocean. While Chanyeol and the hotel manager were talking about what should be for lunch, Baekhyun took off his shirt with lightning speed and jumped into the water. He let out a loud cry. The water was colder than he'd expected, but that was definitely the refreshment he needed.

It stunned Chanyeol. " _Kyungsoo"_ showed no sign of fatigue, but he himself was dead tired. Yet somehow " _Kyungsoo"_ infected him with his energy and before he knew it, he leaped in the water. After their little fun, Chanyeol called the reception to ask them to serve the food. In the meantime, Baekhyun took a bath. After a while, Chanyeol noticed Baekhyun still hadn't come out. He worried and knocked on the door.

"Kyungsoo, is everything ok?" No one answered.

"Kyungsoo?" Still not a word. Chanyeol sensed something was off.

"I'm coming in," he said and opened the door. He couldn't help but smile as he found the other boy asleep in the bathtub.

"Kyungsoo," he gently shook Baekhyun's shoulder. "Sleep on the bed."

Still, there wasn't a reaction. All of Chanyeol's attempts to wake Baekhyun up were unsuccessful. In the end, he wiped Baekhyun dry and carried the naked boy to the king size bed. His face felt like it was burning. He hadn't expected to see all of his husband so soon. He covered Baekhyun with the blanket and turned down the air conditioner so that Baekhyun wouldn't catch a cold. He must have been really tired. Well, after two flights and a wedding? No surprise. He was only human.

Chanyeol had to admit it, his husband was sexy.

When Baekhyun opened his eyes, it was already dark. The sound of the waves was steady and relaxing. He tried to go back to sleep, but he was now wide awake. He sat up and the cover fell down from his chest. At that moment he realized he was from head to toe unclothed. Now he remembered. Wasn't he taking a bath?

He gasped. Park Chanyeol, if that pervert did something to him, he'd feed him to the shark.

_"But I'm not feeling weird,"_ he thought. _"And I'm alone."_

Baekhyun dressed and left the room to find a sleeping Chanyeol on the sofa.

_"Did he bring the naked me to bed and go sleep on the couch, even though the bed was that big?"_ Baekhyun wondered.

_"He must be straight. Yeah, surely straight. What a waste."_ He came to the decision while looking closely at Chanyeol's face.

_"He is truly handsome."_

Just then he noticed the other boy was sweating and he seemed to be having a restless sleep. Why did he turn down the air conditioner? Baekhyun searched for the remote and set the temperature to 23°C. After that, he went back to the bedroom and closed the door slowly. He watched television and to his surprise, Korean television programs were available. The news was on TV. Baekhyun couldn't believe his eyes as he saw a picture of Chanyeol on the flat screen. The reporter was talking about a Minister, who was one of the leading proponents of same-sex marriage.

Baekhyun couldn't believe his ears. He had already had a hunch that Chanyeol's family was some hot shot, but Korean Minister of Public Administration and Security? That was beyond his imagination. How did people say it again? "Whatever can go wrong will go wrong?"

_"... and it makes Korea the second Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage. Is it really a coincidence that his only son married a billionaire's heir eight months after that?"_ The reporter interviewed the pedestrians.

_"He obviously used the government and his voters for his own purpose."_

_"Why should we recast a law, if we don't make use of it? What's the matter if his son marries now or a few years later?"_

_"Are only straight people allowed to fight for gay marriage?"_

_"I was against this from the beginning on. This is unnatural. It should never have been allowed. I have never believed a word of that Minister anyway."_

_"His son is not the only one to profit by this law. It'll make a lot of Koreans happy, so I don't see any problem here."_

_"His action is unprofessional. You really can't trust a politician."_

_"I married my girlfriend the same day it was legalized. No one reported about it."_

_"I hope he has another son who works as a teacher too because we can be paid better. Can another politician be personally implicated too?"_

Baekhyun turned off the TV and reached for his phone. He looked for "Do Kyungsoo". He would never have thought that the boy from the airport was a billionaire's heir. Everything about him was ordinary. He hadn't impressed Baekhyun very much. He found out that Kyungsoo was kidnapped when he was nine, and since then, the Do family had hidden him from the public. Therefore, nobody knew how he looked like. At the Minister's request, the media wasn't allowed at the wedding in order to keep his identity a secret further on.

_"Well, that explains why no one said anything about me being Kyungsoo."_

Indeed, Baekhyun couldn't find much more information about Do Kyungsoo. Most of the search results were about his kidnapping and some conspiracy theory. A few claimed he was killed at that time while a few assured they were his neighbor, his classmate or his girlfriend.

Baekhyun felt a ton of pressure on his chest disappear. If that was all the world knew about Do Kyungsoo, it shouldn't be difficult to pretend he was that boy for a couple of days. What was the worst that could happen? He wanted to know if Chanyeol was better informed about the man he married. At that moment, he remembered their conversation on the plane.

_"Instead of making each other's lives miserable, can we live together in peace? I'll treat you with respect and it'll be a privilege if you fall in love with me; but if not, all I want is for us to be friends."_ That was what Chanyeol had said.

Never would Baekhyun admit it, but he was touched by the other man's "cheesy" words. Never before had somebody said such lovely words to him. All the men he grew up with talked with their fists and if they ever opened their mouth, all that came out was swearing. Was it common for people in Chanyeol's world to be such gentlemen? What a lucky boy that Do Kyungsoo was. Baekhyun wondered if Kim Jongin was like that too?

"I bet not," he mumbled.

\--------------------------------

Suho parked the car in front of a warehouse which was located near the Han River. They were in an isolated area, not one of those with playgrounds, parks or restaurants or any other places sane people would go to. This location would only be chosen by someone who didn't want any neighbors.

"Kyungsoo, you know you don't have to do this, right? I can..."

"No," Kyungsoo interrupted. "Let me at least try something before you risk blowing your cover."

"I have a very bad feeling about this," Suho admitted.

"Please hyung, we agreed that as long as I'm staying, I'll help you with... well, this. I don't want to be a puppet being protected in some glass cabinet."

"Fine, but if things get dangerous, I'll call Mr. Snow."

"Ok," Kyungsoo nodded. 'Mr. Snow' was their code word for the police. It had been the name of Kyungsoo's plush bear which had worn a British police uniform.

Suho watched the younger boy walk towards the entrance and sighed. He hated feeling so powerless. If Jongin could have trusted him more, he could be inside that warehouse instead of Kyungsoo. Despite all the worries, he had to acknowledge that how the boy persuaded the boss was a great performance.

_"Get out of my sight unless you want this in your neck," Jongin shouted, pointing the pen in his hand at Kyungsoo._

_"I just want to talk to him for... 10 minutes." Kyungsoo begged. "Please?"_

_"Oh, so you think you can make someone talk in only 10 minutes, while I couldn't in the last six hours?"_

_"No," Kyungsoo corrected the other boy. "I mean it was your people because most of the time, you're just giving orders and, therefore..."_

_Kyungsoo looked down at the floor while trying to figure out what to say next. Just then he had an idea. He pulled his shoulder blades down and raised his chin._

_"Yes, I mean you guys really take time with a traitor. We, the Black Lotus, would have gotten the information long ago already." The boy bragged the way he thought Kim Baekhyun would and rolled his eyes in addition to provoke the person he shouldn't provoke the most._

_"Fine," Jongin hissed. "I'll give you 10 minutes, but only on one condition."_

_"A condition?" Kyungsoo had a bad feeling._

_"If you fail," Jongin leaned closer and whispered. "I can do anything I want to you."_

"Don't think about it. Don't think about it," Kyungsoo repeated that sentence while shaking his head. At least Jongin promised him not to kill Mr. Hong if he succeeded. Suho told him that the Red Devils stole a truckload from them and it was an inside job. They believed Mr. Hong was the traitor and that he knew where the truck was now. Suho said if the police knew about the hideout, they could arrest them. It didn't matter who was in possession of the drugs; in any case, it would be a big win for the police.

Kyungsoo took a deep breath and entered the depot. The hall appeared bigger from the inside. After walking past six giant shelves, Kyungsoo found Mister Hong – the traitor - chained to a chair. His face was covered with blood and bruises. His nose was broken. Kyungsoo was positive there was a tooth on the floor. About 50 meters away, two men in their thirties were eating black noodles, talking about the new iPhone. Kyungsoo cleared his throat.

"Hello, I would like to talk to Mr. Hong alone... Oh, I mean I am-"

"Boss," greeted the two. "Good evening!"

"Please, call me Kyu... Baekhyun, I mean just call me Baekhyun." Kyungsoo paused for a tiny moment and as the other men didn't react, he asked again.

"Can I talk to him? Now?"

"Of course. But are you sure you can handle this on your own?"

Kyungsoo stared at them, thinking of what to say. Yet within a second, they apologized and left.

_"Were they afraid of me?"_ he thought. _"Can't be."_

He grabbed a chair and sat down, opposite the traitor. Mr. Hong lifted up his eyes to the young boy and laughed with contempt.

"They send me a kid? How old are you, little boy? Have you ever done this before? Can you even break a bone with those girly hands?"

"I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to talk."

"And what's next? A tea party? Do you seriously think you can make me talk? What can you do to me that they haven't tried already?"

"Well, for example, I can tell you I know where your daughter is," Kyungsoo said, leaning forward. Hearing that, the smirk on Mr. Hong's face faded.

"Do your homework, brat. I don't have any children."

"Well rumor has it you have a pregnant fiancée who disappeared twenty-three years ago. A few months later she was seen at a delivery ward in China." Kyungsoo told the elder man.

"If you've heard of that already, you should have known she cheated on me. The baby is not mine."

"I know. But I couldn't believe someone, who beat his brother-in-law half to death for cheating, would let his unfaithful girlfriend go so easily. I thought you had no idea where she and the baby are. But you knew that very well, didn't you? At least for the last seven years?"

"What fucking shit are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about your unusually long list of trips." Mr. Hong pursed his lips. Even though he was not showing it, Kyungsoo felt relief when he saw the man's reaction. He got his weak point.

"Congratulations, you found out that a middleman travels a lot. But don't freak out when I tell you Santa isn't real, and traveling is my job."

"That's true. It's nothing off with you traveling so much. But why would you have such weird flying schedules? Let's see, instead of a direct flight to Lisbon, why would you make two stops in Beijing and Amsterdam? What else? Stops in Guangzhou and Wuhan on your way to Moscow? And..."

"I didn't meet anyone there."

"No, you didn't. It was never about where you go but about the flight, am I right? You always choose China Southern Airlines." As Kyungsoo saw Mr. Hong's face turned pale, he knew he got him.

"And you know what? I found something really interesting when I checked the crews. There was one flight attendant whose name appears way too often. If I don't miscalculate, then she is 23, right? That'd be a pretty big coincidence, don't you think?"

"I swear by God, if you lay a finger on her, I'll kill you!" Mr. Hong screamed at Kyungsoo. He couldn't keep his poker face anymore.

"I don't want to hurt her either. All you need to do is to tell me where the Red Devils hide the truck and I won't mention your daughter to Jongin."

"Do I look like an idiot who would believe that?"

"Would you risk that?"

"Go to hell."

______________________

It was almost midnight when Kyungsoo returned. He assumed Jongin was watching the late-night news since the television was on. But there was nobody in the living room. The reporter was talking about Park Chanyeol's wedding. Kyungsoo wondered if they knew it was canceled. He flinched as he felt someone's breath on his hair. Kyungsoo turned around and all of sudden, Jongin was right in front of him, barely a step away.

"You're still up?" he asked, backing up slowly, yet Jongin grabbed his shirt, pulling him forwards again.

"I was waiting for you." The physical closeness made it impossible not to notice the scent of alcohol.

"Are you drunk?"

"I just drank a bit. It helps me think better."

"What were you thinking about?"

"I was thinking about what to do to your pretty face," Jongin answered as his fingers caressed Kyungsoo's cheek. The other boy didn't avoid eye contact but handed Jongin a page from his notebook.

"Here, what you wanted," he said.

Jongin read the address on the paper and instantly searched for his phone.

"Are you sure?" he questioned. Kyungsoo only nodded.

"How did you..." The person on the other end of the phone picked up and Jongin's curiosity faded away. He left the house faster than Kyungsoo could remind him of their deal.

Kyungsoo let himself fall down the couch. It was a long day and it still didn't want to end yet. What would Jongin think when he got to the hideout and saw the police arresting the Red Devils? How angry would he be about losing the drugs? Would he keep his promise and let Mr. Hong go? Kyungsoo couldn't help but have an uneasy feeling that he overlooked something.


	6. I'm by your side

Jongin signaled that the chauffeur could leave. The man got out of the car but Jongin didn’t move. His head is about to explode. As if there were a Heavy Metal concert taken place in his head. Perhaps he has drunk more than he assumed, furthermore the lack of sleep was clearly not helpful. After a short time, he went through the garage which led to the living room and found Kyungsoo sleeping on the couch. When was the last time that someone was home when he got back? He couldn’t remember.

Kyungsoo must have fallen asleep immediately after Jongin left because the TV was still on. The boy hadn’t even changed the channel. Jongin wondered how this tenuous person could bring someone like Mr. Hong to talk. His eyes scanned Kyungsoo from head to toe as if he were discovering something new, something very exciting. Just then, the scene from earlier played again in his memory. He blushed. He blamed the alcohol for the "pretty face". What are the odds that Kyungsoo didn’t notice that?

Yet how was he going to explain what he said this morning? At that time, he definitely had no alcohol in his blood.

_ “If you failed, I can do anything I want to you.”  _ Jongin felt a sudden shame. That sounded like a quote from a bad version of Fifty Shades of Grey.

And what would he have done if he won? What the hell did he expect? Jongin told himself he only wanted to play with Kyungsoo. He only wanted to scare his “husband” a bit.

He wanted to bring Kyungsoo to bed, but he feared the thought of having Kyungsoo in his arm. What if he’d like it? Hours earlier, when they stood so close to each other, he did not hate the feeling. In the end, he covered Kyungsoo with a blanket and went to his room.

____________________

  
Kyungsoo knew he was dreaming. That dream again. Despite all the efforts, he couldn’t wake up. All he could was watching as if he were caught in a movie. He saw the kidnapper pointed the gun at his face, or rather, at the face of his nine years old version. The small boy shut his eyes, therefore he could still hear the shot and seconds after he heard the voices of several adults. The police stormed the hut, but it was too late. Someone was shot.

  
Everything Kyungsoo saw was now covered in red as if someone had painted the room. Yet it was the blood that splashed in his eyes. Later, in the hospital, the doctor told him that it wasn’t his own blood. It turned out it was the female kidnapper who was shot. He was too young to understand what happened. Many years later, the detective, who was also a friend of his father, told him she had embraced him as her partner had pulled the trigger. Kyungsoo couldn’t remember what happened after the first shot, but he was told that the male kidnapper had been shot by the police.

Until now he still wondered why she was willing to die for him. Why would a criminal do such a thing? At some point, his mother told him, it might be the motherly instinct that made her protect a child. The kidnapper was a mother a long time ago. However, she lost the child, even before it was born. She probably did not know that her partner never wanted to release Kyungsoo. Whatever the reason was, Kyungsoo would never know. He’d never have the possibility to ask her or to thank her. The only thing he knew for sure was that he owed his life to her.

Perhaps, she was the reason why he wanted to study psychology. He hoped one day he’d understand why people did what they did; why a woman was willing to die for someone else’s child.

  
Kyungsoo opened his eyes as a voice in his head woke him up. A voice which was clearly to hear as if someone was whispering into his ear.

"He was willing to die for her."

  
Kyungsoo was glad to wake up from the nightmare. He sat up and began to sort his thoughts. Mr. Hong knew he would die if he did not name the hiding to Jongin. But it didn’t seem to bother him until Kyungsoo mentioned his daughter. Sounds logical at first. But why should he take the tortures? Why not telling Jongin the truth to avoid the pains? He couldn’t be that loyal to the Red Devils. Then why did he do that? If he spoke, the Red Devils would kill him. If not, the White Snake would kill him. Someone like him would never take the bullet for another person… Except for his daughter.

"Of course. He was willing to die for her." Kyungsoo mumbled and began to dial Suho's number.

"Come on, pick up." He looked at the clock. It was 6am, Suho must be sleeping.

"Kyungsoo? Did something happen? "Suho worried.

"Hyung, that friend of yours, that detective who sent us the information about Mr. Hong."

"What about him?"

"Does he have any connection in China, someone who can check if Mr. Hong’s daughter was alright?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you think it’s possible that Mr. Hong betrayed Jongin because they threatened his daughter?"

"It’s not impossible. That would also explain why someone who worked for more than 10 years for the Kims, suddenly switched sides. "

"Can you call me if you know anything?"

"Of course. I’ll call him now. "

Kyungsoo wanted to lay his phone back on the nightstand. That was the moment he realized he wasn’t in his room. Now it came into his mind that he fell asleep while was watching the news. However, he didn’t remember having a blanket.

__________________

Kyungsoo heard footsteps and he knew it was Jongin. He didn’t think of the other boy as an early bird but Jongin really surprised him. Kyungsoo went to the kitchen to get his morning glass of water. It was already the fourth morning he woke up here, and yet he still couldn’t get used to this house nor get used to living alone with another man.

Jongin was sitting at the dinner table, drinking his coffee. His eyes didn’t leave his iPad even though he noticed Kyungsoo.

“Yesterday, did you cover me up?” Jongin still didn’t react.

“Anyway, thank you.” Then none of them said a word until the silence became unbearable.

"What are you going to do about Mr. Hong?" Kyungsoo tried to start a conversation.

"Nobody would miss that bastard," Jongin replied emotionless.

_ "He has a daughter who would miss him." That was what Kyungsoo wanted to say.  _

"You promised me you wouldn't do anything to him."

"No, I said I would not kill him. That’s something completely different." Jongin stood up and called for his driver.

"Are you going to see him? Let me accompany you?" Kyungsoo followed Jongin him to his car.

"Why are you bothering me? Where's Suho?"

"It's still early, he must be sleeping," Kyungsoo lied. He just wanted to ask Mr. Hong by himself, whether his daughter was in danger or not. 

"I won’t talk. You won’t even notice me."

"Please." He added. Jongin sighed but gave in.

"Come on, get in," he said impatiently. A childish smile appeared on Kyungsoo's face. He hastened as if he were afraid Jongin could change his mind.

Kyungsoo kept his promise. He didn’t say a word, instead, he looked out the window during the whole ride. The streets looked on daylight a lot different, much livelier. So many people and everybody seemed to know where to go and what to do. Kyungsoo wondered what went through their mind when they see Jongin and him. Did they sense that something was wrong, or did they only see two young men in a passing car and forget them immediately? It fascinated him how insignificant they both were for some people, and yet at the same time, they were significantly changing some other’s lives.

Jongin still hadn’t mentioned anything about last night. He should be very angry that they lost the drug. But for some reason, he was not. Maybe it had comforted him that many of the Red Devils were arrested. Suho, as the detective he was, erupted with joy yesterday but Jongin hadn’t shown any reaction. What exactly was going through his mind? To Kyungsoo, Jongin was a real mystery?

They left the busy street and the environment gradually changed. After a short time, they arrived at the warehouse. By day it didn’t look haunted like in Kyungsoo’s memory. Kyungsoo followed Jongin silently while the driver waited outside. With every step he made, Jongin moved slower. Kyungsoo also got an uneasy feeling which he couldn’t explain but he knew something was wrong. It was too quiet. Not a single sound could be heard. Jongin instinctively reached for the weapon hidden under his jacket and signaled Kyungsoo to come closer as if he wanted to protect the other boy.

As Jongin stood still, Kyungsoo looked over his shoulder and discovered Mr. Hong. His throat had been cut. About five meters from him lay Jongin’s men on the floor, also dead. They were shot. The amount of blood could turn anyone’s stomach. It looked like a scene from a horror movie. Kyungsoo knew these men were dead and yet he hastened to them. That had become a reflex since his year working as an EMT volunteer. He remembered his mother was strictly against it. It took him months to change her mind.

"Stay behind me, their killers might still be around," Jongin warned him, talking as quietly as possible.

"No, I think they are long gone."

“How do you know?”

“They are cold and rigor mortis is almost fully developed. These three are dead for hours already.” Kyungsoo explained. If he would have turned back, he would have seen how impressed Jongin was. It was something that rarely happened.

“You talk like a cop.”

“I’m not a cop,” Kyungsoo replied, now facing Jongin. Did Jongin become suspicious?

"Those damn bastards! They’ll pay for this” Jongin said, not taking note of Kyungsoo’s tension.

“Let's get out of here, I’ll call someone to clean this up," Jongin said after a while.

_ To clean up? As if they were garbage. _

"Aren’t you calling the police?" Kyungsoo asked.

"Why should I? We know who did this. We take care of our business by ourselves."

After bringing Kyungsoo home, Jongin disappeared the whole day. Kyungsoo was alone in the garden as Suho found him. His mind repeated pictures of Mr. Hong’s death body consistently. Hundreds of scenarios were playing in his head. Did Mr. Hong see it coming? Did he think of his daughter? Did he regret it?

"I came as quickly as I could, are you sure they are dead?" Kyungsoo heard Suho asked.

"Yes," he confirmed.

"Jongin believes it was the Red Devils. What do you think, hyung?”

"That is possible. But…"

"What’s wrong?"

"It surprises me. Why would they bother to kill him by themselves? By Jongin's reputation, anybody should know a traitor wouldn’t survive."

"Jongin wouldn’t have killed him. He promised me."

"But no one knew about that."

"Then you don’t think it was the Red Devils?"

"I can’t tell. But something seems off to me."

"I see. What's about Mr. Hong's daughter? Is she safe? "

"I'm still waiting for the recall from China."

"Do you think she’s also…?"

"I don’t know, Kyungsoo."

Suho sat down, looked around to make sure that no one could hear them.

"It's getting too dangerous here. You have to get out of here right away. I can’t organize a jet again without calling your father, so ... "

"No, please, don’t tell my parents anything."

"Well, I could take you to the airport, but you have to promise me that you will get on the plane and go home."

"No. We had discussed this already. I'm not leaving like this."

"Do you not understand that things have changed? Mr. Hong’s murder means war between the Red Devils and us."

"Don’t persuade me to leave you alone, hyung. I’ve made my decision and I’ll stand by it." Suho took a deep breath. He didn’t say anything for a while, trying to find a solution. Yet his mind was blank.

"You've grown up." Suho was worried and yet proud of Kyungsoo.

"Trust me, hyung. I think I have an idea already. "

"Really? Tell me."

"You know I was out with Jongin this morning. Without you."

"Yes, and that was very stupid. Don’t ever do that again."

"But that’s the point. If I can run away when I’m alone with him, he won’t have anyone to blame."

"That sounds simple. Theoretically. But Jongin is almost never alone. And I don’t like the idea of him being alone with you. He's dangerous." Suho rejected the suggestion.

"Then I’ll gain his trust, so he won’t harm me."

"Kyungsoo, do you know how long I needed to make him trust me? And it’s not just about trust. Jongin had trusted Mr. Hong. Do you see what it did for him?"

At that moment Suho's phone rang and he picked it up quickly. While he was talking on the phone, Kyungsoo wondered what could probably be more important than trust?

"That was the call from China,” Suho said.

"You were right. Mr. Hong’s daughter didn’t come home three days ago. Her roommate reported her as missing. The police looked for her until this morning."

"Did they find her?"

"Kinda, she escaped from her kidnapper."

"She was able to escape by herself? Is she ok?"

"Yeah, she said her kidnapper left to buy cigarettes and didn’t return. She could free herself after a few hours?"

"He worked alone?"

"Yes, they said he isn’t a pro, only a known junkie of town. Until now he has been arrested a few times for stealing and robbery. Kidnapping is new." Suho said.

"No way that was a coincidence."

"Certainly not. The police caught him at a gas station not far away from there." Kyungsoo breathed out.

"Did he say something?"

"Only that an anonymous person hired him for the job. He doesn’t even seem to know who the girl is."

"So he has no idea who actually hired him?"

"My friend meant it didn’t look like he lied."

"And what if he works for the Red Devils and is too afraid to betray them?" Kyungsoo asked.

"That’d be very unlikely. He’s such an amateur, they wouldn’t even let him park the cars. "

"And I don’t get why anonymous," Kyungsoo added.

"Me neither," Suho lied. He didn’t want to worry Kyungsoo, but he knew why. Things would make sense if Mr. Hong wasn’t blackmailed by the Red Devils but someone he knew. Someone from his own gang.

And that meant there was another traitor.

______________________

The hotel guest, clad in black, walked past the front desk.

"Your suit was just delivered, sir," the young receptionist informed him.

The man took the private elevator directly to the rooftop. He took off his coat as soon as he entered the suite. His figure was tall and thoroughly fit. He was someone who would turn anybody’s heads. Under the black coat, his white shirt was blood smeared. He unbuttoned, threw it into the bathtub and turned on the water. At the same time, the red liquid filled the tub and disappeared down the drain. He was washing his hand as his phone vibrated.

"He’s under arrest?"

"Of course he won’t talk. He knows nothing.”

“You know what to do. "

The suit was duly delivered and lay on the bed, carefully wrapped. The man changed into it and left the room. His car was immediately brought to him, even though two couples who were there first are still waiting for theirs.

"Your car, Mr. Kim," said the uniformed staff at the entrance as he handed him the keys with both hands.

The guest still hadn’t said a word. He drove off until he arrived at Jongin's house. He rang the bell and as Kyungsoo opened the door, he smiled charmingly.

"Hello Beauty," he said.


	7. Maybe it's love

Baekhyun walked along the beach, enjoying the refreshing cold water at his feet. It was still dark, but the beach was well-lit. Although he was out for more than a quarter of an hour, the beach house, in which Chanyeol was sleeping peacefully, was still clearly visible. He looked at his phone to check if he had a reception before calling his best friend, Seulgi. He was aware that she might still be mad at him for not being allowed to accompany him to his wedding, but he needed to talk to her.

He hadn't told her about his plan, because until three hours before the flight, he hadn't even decided about canceling the wedding – against his father's wishes. After the fifth ring, Seulgi finally picked up. First Baekhyun was yelled at because he had forgotten the time difference and Seulgi had been sleeping. But after he told her the whole story about the unwanted marriage and unplanned - but welcomed - honeymoon, she was more than interested to continue the conversation.

"I can't believe you actually did that. Respect!" She said enthusiastically. She had never understood his relationship with his father. They argued at any given opportunity. Half of the things Baekhyun did was to provoke the old man and the other half was to please him.

"I can't even believe it myself," Baekhyun said, laughing.

"How could all that happen? As if you were in some strange movie... " Seulgi could barely control her laughter.

"I'm pleased that the whole thing amuses you so much. Does everybody already know that I called off the wedding?" Baekhyun asked curiously.

"No, there is no rumor about that," Seulgi said.

"Are you sure?"

"Hey, you know that I'm the gossip queen."

"You're right, sorry," Baekhyun apologized.

"And when are you coming back?"

"I'll enjoy the free holiday, then I'll go home. So until then, don't tell anybody about this, ok? "

"Ok. But are you sure you want to spend 10 days with that cop?"

"He is not a cop and yeah I'm sure. Who knows when life is gonna offer such an opportunity again? And I think I'm developing some feelings for him," Baekhyun confessed.

"Real feelings or penis feelings?"

"I haven't figured it out yet," Baekhyun said, laughed at his friend’s honesty.

"Typical you."

"But you should have seen him, then you would understand me," Baekhyun argued.

"Oh, I'm seeing him," replied Seulgi with a giggle.

"What?"

"My best friend, Google... Damn, this guy is hot," she shouted into the handset.

"I know," bawled Baekhyun back.

"Have you slept with him yet? How was he? I want details."

"No, I haven’t."

"What? You didn't rip his clothes off at the first sight? I don't think I know you anymore."

"Are you crazy? He's married. I have principles," said Baekhyun.

"Yes, he's married to you. So swing your ass to him and fulfill your duty. "

"You are completely insane. He thought he was married to a guy named Kyungsoo."

"But he had given you the ring, so he married you... Shit, Baekhyun, you're married. "

"Stop yelling in my ear."

"That's not fair, I have to shave my legs and go clubbing to get laid, and you get Mr. Sexy handed on a silver platter but you don't even want to touch him? "

"I never said 'not touching him.'" Baekhyun teased. "Hey, I have to hang up now. Take care of yourself. Don't go clubbing alone and give me a call if you hear anything."

"Ok, love ya."

"I love you too," Baekhyun said and hung up. However, the conversation didn't leave him in peace. Was Seulgi right? Was he really married? So theoretically he could sleep with Chanyeol. Even if he wasn't, it would just be another one-night stand. So no big deal, except for the fact that they would meet again. No, Baekhyun wasn't up for an awkward morning after. Pure hot sex and no side effects, that was what mankind had invented the one-night stand for. However, Chanyeol was exactly his type. Good looking, highly educated, tall, sexy abs but got an adorable smile.

When Baekhyun returned to the beach house, Chanyeol had just come out of the shower with a towel around his waist. He was drying his hair with another one. Baekhyun couldn't take his eyes off Chanyeol's toned body. Self-control had never been one of his strong points.

"Good morning, Kyungsoo, did you sleep well?" Chanyeol asked while drying his chest. That damned sexy body.

"Yes, I did... Hey, Chanyeol, what do you think of a test-run?" Baekhyun asked impulsively.

"What do you mean?" Chanyeol asked confusingly.

"I mean a test run as a couple, so we can see if it is gonna work. In 10 days, when the trip ends, we can decide whether we want to continue to live together as lovers or only retain the appearance." Baekhyun explained, with the knowledge that he won't be around after the honeymoon.

"That's a very unusual idea."

"Is it that bad?"

"No, I actually think it's a good idea."

"So you agree?"

"Why not?"

"Great, then..." beamed Baekhyun. Immediately thereafter, he frowned. "And what do married couples do?" he asked.

"I've never been married, so I have no idea," Chanyeol admitted.

"Then let's have breakfast first, we'll surely come up with something," Baekhyun suggested.

"Sounds good. I'll order breakfast; do you want anything in particular?"

"No, anything will be fine. I'll get changed. It's way too hot to wear suits."

Their suitcases were still in the bedroom. Yesterday they arrived too late to unpack everything. Only now was he aware that the suitcases belonged to Kyungsoo. Nevertheless, he tried some clothes on, hoping they would fit him. To his luck, they both seem to have the same size. However, the thought of wearing a stranger’s clothes scared him. Who knew how this Kyungsoo was and where his stuff had been? Baekhyun would rather not touch them.

"Chanyeol, can we go shopping after breakfast? The airlines sent me the wrong baggage." Baekhyun said as Chanyeol ended the call.

"For real? How could that happen? "Chanyeol immediately went into the bedroom to check the suitcases.

"But it said Do Kyungsoo," he said, pointing at a hangtag.

"But these aren't my things. There must be another Do Kyungsoo on the plane. They probably confused us." Fortunately, lying came naturally to Baekhyun.

"This is incredible. How likely is that?" Chanyeol said, fascinated.

"I'm just that special," Baekhyun replied with confidence, putting a smile on Chanyeol's face.

As discussed, they both went shopping. Immediately after the first purchase, Baekhyun changed his clothes; now wearing a yellow shirt and denim shorts. It didn't take long until Baekhyun held plenty of shopping bags in his hands. Although Chanyeol insisted on paying for everything, Baekhyun didn't allow him to. He already felt guilty enough for pretending to be Kyungsoo. He'd absolutely not be after Chanyeol's money too. Distracting Chanyeol, so he couldn't notice that all his credit cards belonged to "Byun Baekhyun" was troublesome. As a result, he lost his interest in shopping after the fourth store. Just when he was about to call it a day, a black biker jacket caught his eyes.

"Chanyeol, try this on." He handed the leather jacket to Chanyeol.

"For me?"

"Yes."

"Oh thank you, but I don't think it'll suit me." Chanyeol hesitated.

"Are you sure? I have quite an eye for fashion, trust me."

"All right," Chanyeol said and put on the jacket, even though he preferred comfortable basics. Yet, “Kyungsoo” seemed so excited about the biker jacket, he wanted to please the other boy.

As Baekhyun expected, the jacket fit Chanyeol perfectly, although Baekhyun had only guessed his size. Chanyeol looked at his reflection critically.

"I like it, but this is not my usual style," He commented.

"But you look great in it. Really bad-boy-like. "

“Do you like bad boys?” Chanyeol asked.

“Hell no. The last thing I would do is dating a bad boy,” replied Baekhyun. Noticing Chanyeol confused look, he added. “But I do like a handsome man looking …wild.”

"I guess a change could be good for me," Chanyeol blushed as he noticed “Kyungsoo” just called him “handsome.” He gave in by that comment and in the end, they left the mall with the jacket. Now Chanyeol carried all the bags since he couldn't dissuade Baekhyun from paying for it. "I made you wear it, so I pay for it," Baekhyun said. Chanyeol confessed that he liked the jacket too, but Baekhyun wasn't listening anymore.

"I finally know what we can do as a couple," said Chanyeol on the way back.

"Really, what is it?"

"Kyungsoo, would you go out with me?" Chanyeol looked in Baekhyun's eyes and asked sincerely as if he were proposing.

"Are you seriously asking me out on a date?"

"Not any date but our first official date... I mean people usually date, then fall in love and then get married. We may have skipped the first steps, but we can still catch up on them," Chanyeol explained.

Baekhyun was speechless. As strange as the situation was, he had to admit that it was quite romantic. Why wasn't he surprised that Chanyeol was a romantic person? Slowly he became pretty jealous of this Do Kyungsoo.

"How could I say no?" Baekhyun said and Chanyeol breathed out.

"Then I'll pick you up at seven?" Chanyeol joked.

"Cool. You better not stand me up, I know where you live," Baekhyun replied.

Punctually at seven o'clock, Chanyeol knocked on the bedroom's door. He knew he had not one reason to be nervous. But he was. Like him, Baekhyun was having difficulties to slow down his heartbeats too. The last time he was on a real date might be his senior year in high school. The other boy was Sehun. He was two years younger than Baekhyun. Two weeks before the school year ended, Sehun had mustered up his courage and asked Baekhyun out. Baekhyun had agreed to it out of pity but their first date evolved into a 3-month relationship. This time, Baekhyun hadn't made his decision out of pity. What could become of them? Anyway, they were already married. So it couldn't be worse, could it?


	8. Just a little longer

Chanyeol had to admit that he was a little overwhelmed. Baekhyun's suggestion to run a test as a couple surprised him. He didn't think that the other boy would react so enthusiastically. But he was glad about it. Still, it wasn't easy to plan a first date within a few hours. In the end, he decided on a simple program; dinner, wine and a walk along the beach. On recommendations of the hotel manager, he reserved a table at a known restaurant. Now he had to "pick up" his date. Shortly after he knocked, Baekhyun opened the door with a smile.

"Hi, are you ready? Oh uhm you look great."

"Thanks, you too," Baekhyun replied.

Together, they left the beach house and took a boat to a neighboring island. The drive wasn't long, but long enough to make the lack of talking unbearable. After each attempt to start a conversation, the awkward silence haunted them.

"Are you hungry already?"

"Yes."

...

"The shopping tour today was funny, right?"

"Yeah."

...

"Where are we going to eat?"

"It’s a surprise."

...

After taking the boat, they went about 5 minutes on foot. As they stepped on a wooden walkway over the ocean, it felt like they were walking on the water. The path led to a small bungalow. Baekhyun thought they were going to eat there, but inside there was just a white couch and a small table with a flower vase on it. A young woman was standing in the middle of the room. She was wearing a violet uniform and Baekhyun immediately identified her as an employee. The woman greeted them warmly and asked them to follow her. They went down a long stairway until they reached a blue door. Baekhyun could imagine what was behind it. Yet he couldn't deny that the secretiveness made it more exciting. The staff member opened the door for them and Baekhyun couldn't wait to take a step forward.

He had guessed correctly. It was a classy restaurant inside of the ocean. Its walls and roof were made of thick glass, which offered a clear underwater panorama. On the one hand, Baekhyun felt like he was a part of the enormous ocean. It was funny how one's own problems suddenly seemed so small and insignificant. On the other hand, the glass gave the impression that he was in a giant aquarium. How ironic, he was also caught in a dilemma. Either way, he was stuck in a marriage with a stranger.

"Chanyeol, it's incredible, so unique," Baekhyun said, as they were led to their tables. The room was small compared to an ordinary restaurant, but all the tables were occupied – except for theirs. Unsurprisingly, all the guests seemed to be couples, since the ambiance was phenomenally romantic.

"I'm glad you like it. I couldn't reserve the other tables at the last minute. Otherwise, we would have a little more privacy," Chanyeol said.

"That wasn't necessary. I think it's better this way." Baekhyun hadn't lied. He only had to imagine how they were sitting alone, saying nothing to each other. Without the noises the other guests, they would just hear the music in the background. That would even be more embarrassing than the boat ride.

"I'm sorry you had to do all the planning by yourself. I was suddenly so tired after going shopping. It must be jet lag," Baekhyun added.

"No problem, don't worry."

...

"So..."

"Yes?"

"Um ..." Chanyeol stewed over something to say. He had been introverted even as a child. Growing up hadn't caused any major change. Therefore, he could never follow in his father's footsteps. After his graduation, his father finally had to accept that his son would never want to be in the public eye. It was a huge disappointment for him. He had never literally said that to Chanyeol, but he couldn't hide it from the boy either. Chanyeol had always been very perceptive. Actually, he had only agreed to this marriage to make it up to his father in some way.

"Chanyeol, it's awkward," Baekhyun said honestly.

"You're right. I don't know what's going on."

"Until this morning we could talk normally, couldn't we?"

"Maybe we're just confused because the situation is unusual."

"I think you're right. Well then, let's restart. Have you ever been on a blind date?" Baekhyun asked.

"Yes, a few times."

"Ok, then I'm going to the toilet. And when I come back, we meet for the first time. No wedding and no honeymoon. How does that sound?" Baekhyun offered.

"Count me in."

"Great," Baekhyun said and disappeared right after.

Chanyeol hadn't pictured this evening to turn out this way. He had never thought that any of this craziness could ever happen. The first date with his husband? And now a blind date with a "stranger?" Within the past 48 hours, he had gotten himself into more unconventional situations than in his whole life. Of course, except for the wedding and the day he _"ran away"_ from home with his sister. Maybe he was more spontaneous than he wanted to admit.

Baekhyun took longer than expected and once again Chanyeol's pessimism played pranks on him. He began to imagine every possible worst-case scenario. Baekhyun went back alone. 

Worse. Baekhyun left for good and never came back. 

Worse. Baekhyun had been injured. 

Worse. Baekhyun was kidnapped. 

Worse. Baekhyun was kidnapped by aliens. "Now that's a bit implausible," he said to himself. He was about to check on Baekhyun when he spotted his date coming back.

"Hello, are you Park Chanyeol?" Baekhyun asked as he reached the table.

"Yes, I am. And you're Do Kyungsoo, I suppose." Chanyeol finally could calm down.

"Yeah," Baekhyun lied. 

"Well, Park Chanyeol, tell me something about yourself." 

"Let see. What can you say about myself? I'm 27. I'm working at Hongik University as a research assistant and I'm doing my Ph.D. in organic chemistry," Chanyeol said. Once he was told by a date that he talked about his work too much. Since then, he tried to mention only the necessary. That reduced his conversational topics to books and politics. His life was neither an action movie nor a comedy. Nothing exciting, nothing you could tell on the first date. "Luckily, there were rarely second dates," he thought.

"Wow, I'm impressed. You must be really smart. What exactly are you researching?"

"Oh, believe me, you probably don't want to listen to me talking about my boring job."

"I'm not an expert, but I'm sure it's not boring." Baekhyun was persistent. He hadn't faked the interest like people usually did on first dates. To be honest, he first thought Chanyeol would make some CSI stuff. But in the end, Chanyeol's research was for-real interesting, at least the parts Baekhyun understood. However, he didn't mind listening to the other parts as well. He loved how Chanyeol spoke so passionately about his work. In addition, Baekhyun had always had a weakness for intelligent men. That was also why he had a crush on his English teacher, and on his biology teacher, and later, on the young medical student who had done an internship at his family doctor's office.

"I bet he looks hot in his nerd glasses and his long, white lab coat," Baekhyun thought and didn't notice that Chanyeol waved at the waiter. They had finished eating and were waiting for the bill. Chanyeol had suggested a walk and Baekhyun welcomed the idea. Most people wouldn't think that he had eaten a lot, but for him, it was twice as much as usual. No, he didn't suffer from anorexia and he wasn't on a diet. He was simply one of these people who didn't eat a lot at a time but have several meals a day. Besides, he didn't have to pay attention to his weight; he was able to eat anything he wanted and somehow, he barely gained weight. He had inherited the slim figure of his mother, his "uncle" used to tell him that – he wasn't his real uncle but an old business partner of his father. His own father never spoke of his mother. He acted as if she had never existed. As if Baekhyun had crawled out of a rabbit hole.

"Hey Channie, what about your mother? Oh, Can I call you Channie?" Baekhyun asked as they walked along the beach.

"Why do you ask?" As Chanyeol looked at him with a hint of confusion, he explained.

"I just thought Chanyeol sounds so formal."

"No, I mean my mother. And of course, you can call me Channie. "

"Oh, I just noticed that you only speak of your father and your sister." Chanyeol was silent for a moment and Baekhyun could guess what was coming.

"She died when I was 13".

"I'm sorry... It must have been very hard for you. "

"Yes, but it was much harder for my sister. She had just turned 10. She was really attached to mom. Because of mom, she wanted to be a lawyer ever since she could remember," Chanyeol said.

"Your mother was a lawyer?"

"She was a prosecutor. She was an incredibly intelligent woman. She even won against my father when he was still working for a law firm. She said they couldn't stand each other for a while. Every time mom was mad at our father, she told us the story of how she beat him at court."

Baekhyun could hear the pain in Chanyeol's voice, though the older boy tried to laugh at the story. Even after 12 years, his mother's death still seemed to hurt him badly. She must have been a wonderful mother. Baekhyun could only remember his own mother in fragments. Nevertheless, all his memories of her were happy ones. She was gentle and loving. She had wanted to protect him from everything. She had warned him about every danger. Sometimes he wondered whether all mothers were like that.

Baekhyun reached for Chanyeol's hand. At that moment he didn't know what else to do to console Chanyeol. He wished he might tell Chanyeol that he could empathize with his pain. However, whoever could use a search engine wouldn't need more than one minute to find out that Do Kyungsoo had a happy family. A picture-perfect family without a dead or a runaway mother.

"I'm sorry I spoiled the mood," Chanyeol apologized.

"No, you didn't."

Then they changed the subject. They talked about everything. Baekhyun told Chanyeol about his trip to London, only leaving out its reason. Chanyeol told Baekhyun about his study at King's College and they realized that they both had been in London at the same time. They both had dogs. Chanyeol got a Shiba Inu for his 12th birthday. He named the puppy after a Nestlé's drink, Milo; because both were sweet and had the same color. Baekhyun had been a proud owner of a Welsh Corgi Pembroke. Sadly, because of cancer, he had to euthanize his dog two years ago. It had broken his heart. Seulgi told him he should get a new puppy, but he didn't have the heart to do it.

On the way back, everything was different. Time was passing too fast. All sudden the island became a romantic paradise. Had it always been like this or had they simply not noticed the atmosphere?

"I really enjoyed the evening. Thank you for taking me home, such a gentleman," Baekhyun joked as they arrived at the beach house.

"I must admit I was hoping to be invited in," Chanyeol played along.

"Well, I'm not that kind of man."

"I'd even sleep on the sofa."

"Oh, if that's the case, please come in," Baekhyun said, smiling, and Chanyeol entered the room. Baekhyun closed the front door and somehow, he knew the day wasn't over yet.


	9. One step

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very Short Chapter

Chanyeol woke up and his head was as heavy as if someone had placed a huge stone on it. He wasn't one of those people who stayed in bed after waking up. However, this time he knew he couldn't get up so easily. With great effort, he turned to his right, hoping to reduce the dizziness. But when his face touched Baekhyun's, he was wide awake. He rubbed his eyes twice to ensure that what he saw was real. Was Baekhyun really lying next to him? Naked? Immediately he looked down. If he was not wearing a skin-colored body, then he was also naked. He grabbed a pillow to cover himself, although Baekhyun was still sleeping and he knew no one could see him. But why was he feeling so ashamed?

Probably because you're waking up next to a man. Naked. A voice in his head shouted.

He picked up the silk blanket, which was laying halfway on the floor and covered Baekhyun before he tiptoed into the bathroom. He turned on the cold water and leaned his head against the wall. So, this was what people called a mental blackout. He remembered that he had drunk, but that was all that was left in his memories. When he'd studied in London, his fellow students had often said he represented all Asian clichés. He was a nerd, a math wizard. He had a strict father with ridiculously high expectations. He'd needed 2 months to pronounce "R" correctly. And of course, he had the alcohol tolerance level of a 14-year-old. All he needed was to drink a slug of liquor and everyone would notice because his face would instantly turn red like a tomato. So, what the hell had made him drink that much?

The answer lies on the bed. Naked. The voice said again as if it was mocking him.

Chanyeol tried to sort through his memories. Baekhyun and him, they had talked and fooled around and then they had drunk a little bit.

A lot.

Well, they'd drank a lot. The memories were like a dream. They appeared in the wrong orders and made no sense.

They were on the beach.

They'd tried to build something; surely not a sandcastle. Right?

Something happened to his glasses because they were broken.

Were they naked at any one time? Because he remembered undressing on the beach. "Maybe we were nude bathing and fell asleep like that." Chanyeol tried to calm down. The panic earlier had made him forget his clothes. He came out of the shower, hoping Baekhyun would still be sleeping and he could get dressed before Baekhyun woke up. Tough luck, there Baekhyun stood. Dressed. And he was, once again, only covered with a single towel. Baekhyun smiled when he saw him. That was a good sign, right? Maybe they hadn't done anything... for real. He took all his courage and walked toward to Baekhyun. Yet before he could say a word, Baekhyun kissed him passionately and he kissed back, as if it were a reflex.

"What have I done to deserve this?" Chanyeol asked after he grabbed a deep breath.

"Oh, you know it very well." Baekhyun winked. With these words Baekhyun went into the bathroom, leaving Chanyeol alone with even more confusion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think happened to Chanbaek? *perverted mind activated* OTL


	10. Not Today

"Shit, how could I forget that?" Kyungsoo mumbled as he held the last clean boxer shorts in his hand. All the stress had made him forget that he had left the airport without his suitcases. Now he was glad he'd listened to his mother. She'd taught him to always have extra luggage in his backpack, just in case something went missing. The thought of her broke his heart. He hadn't realized how much he missed her until he noticed his tears.

He hopped in the shower and turned on the water. In his mind, he was working on an imaginary to-do list. First, he'd call his mother to tell her that he was fine. He would have to lie, but he knew he was not worrying her. Not again and not under any circumstances. Then, he urgently had to go shopping and buy a few things to wear. He wouldn't need much since he didn't plan to stay here very long. Boxers, socks, some pairs of jeans and some T-shirts, which were easy to combine. Those were all he needed. Then he had to find out Jongin's interests. Maybe that way he might find an opportunity to come closer to the other boy.

When he came out of the bathroom, it was already after 10 pm. Jongin usually got home early. That might be an advantage to be your own boss. Kyungsoo heard the doorbell and for a millisecond, he thought it was Jongin. Then he thought, "Why would Jongin ring the bell? But who was so important to show up at Jongin's house this late?" His instinct warned of a possible danger. But he knew Jongin's security guards wouldn't let anybody through the gate, and certainly not a crazed killer. "What was the worst that could happen?" he thought, and he finally went downstairs to open the door. To his relief, it wasn't Hannibal Lecter, but a harmless-looking man.

"Hello Beauty," said the stranger when he saw Kyungsoo.

"Hello?" Kyungsoo replied.

"You must be Byun Baekhyun."

"Yes," Kyungsoo lied. "I'm sorry, who are you?" He asked.

"Oh, excuse me. I'm Woo Bin, Jongin's big brother." Kyungsoo was doubting the man since the two had absolutely no similarities, except for their heights. And this man had nothing gangster-like on him. He looked more like a businessman.

"We don't look alike, I know," he said as if he could read Kyungsoo's thoughts. "Can I come in?"

"Of course, excuse me. I was just a little surprised." Kyungsoo apologized and invited his new acquaintance in.

"You're much cuter than I had imagined," Woo Bin said as Kyungsoo brought him a drink.

"Thank you," Kyungsoo said. "I'm sorry, did we meet at the wedding? I actually have a very good memory, but... "

"No don't worry. I wasn't there. "

"Oh ok."

"I was unable to attend the wedding. But I heard that it was a very beautiful ceremony," Woo Bin explained by his own accord.

"Jongin seems to be working late today but he should be home soon."

"That's no problem. I'm here because of you. "

"Because of me?"

"Well, actually I just wanted to introduce myself. Since I missed your wedding, I feel very guilty."

"Oh, please don't." It was difficult to believe that this man was related to Jongin. They had completely different personalities. Woo Bin was charming and polite. He appeared to be a considerate person. Jongin, however, was impulsive and furious. He was a bad listener and he barely spoke as well. Jongin was a loner.

Kyungsoo felt like it had been a while since he could normally chat with another person, other than Jun Myeon. Woo Bin told him some funny and embarrassing stories of Jongin, just like how parents usually did when they met their children's girl- or boyfriend. A few hours ago, Kyungsoo wouldn't think it were possible, but he laughed again.

"Did you know that you were supposed to marry me initially?"

"What?"

"Well, it's a long story. But in the end, Jongin got the Beauty."

"I'm confused." Woo Bin was talking about Baekhyun, not him. And yet, he felt offended. He was a human being, not something people could hand over to whomever they wanted.

"It's late. I'll tell you the story another time. But honestly, now that I know you, I am really jealous of him. I hope he treats you well. He can be rough sometimes, but he is not a bad person."

"He surely isn't."

"You don't sound very convincing."

"Well... so far we haven't done much together?"

"You can't be serious. You two are a couple now. You should spend time together. That's why people invented the honeymoon... Oh no, the blockhead ignores you, right?" Woo Bin interrupted himself as he remembered how stubborn Jongin could be. Kyungsoo said nothing. But his silence confirmed Woo Bin's assumption.

"Please don't tell me you're ok with that. You do know that divorce isn't an option until our old men are dead, right? You can't stay in a loveless marriage for years. That could drive everybody crazy," Woo Bin protested.

"It doesn't bother me. You can't force feelings, can you?" Kyungsoo answered after a short pause.

"No, but you can lend Jongin a hand to understand his feelings. And I didn't only mean it literally." Kyungsoo knew it was a joke and still, he blushed like a virgin.

"You guys are hopeless. I guess I'll have to give you two some extra lessons." Woo Bin sighed.

"I don't understand what you mean. What extra lessons? "Kyungsoo asked confused.

"Lessons about dating, of course."

"I don't think it's a good idea."

"Believe me, your life would be much easier if the stubborn Jongin loves you." Little did he know how right he was. Kyungsoo's whole plan was depended on it. But love? That wasn't necessary. The day was long and Kyungsoo was tired. But he didn't even need a sober mind to know that it was impossible. Woo Bin would need a superpower, because Jongin and him and love? These were words which didn't belong in the same sentence.

"You'll see that Jongin also has his adorable side." Woo Bin said and at the same moment, Jongin came home.

"Speaking of the devil," he said, turning to his brother.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Jongin asked angrily as if Woo Bin's presence was enough to make him mad. Kyungsoo thought he was imagining it because no one could dislike a family member that way. But what did an only child know of sibling relationships?

"That's how you welcome your brother after 9 months not seeing each other?"

"What do you want?" Jongin said through clenched teeth.

"Do you have to be so rude? I just wanted to say hello to Baekhyun. He is now my brother too. And besides, I wanted to tell you that father wants to have dinner with us tomorrow. "

"If so, then you can leave now," Jongin said, pointing to the door.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Baekhyun. Good night. See you tomorrow, brother." Woo Bin took his leave and left Kyungsoo alone with an angry Jongin.

"What did he say to you?" Jongin asked. If looks could kill, Kyungsoo would be suffocated.

"Nothing, we only talked about unimportant things."

"The fact that he just came out of prison, did he tell you that?"

"No." Kyungsoo wondered what Woo Bin had done. He seemed to be so friendly and harmless. Jun Myeon hyung was right, he couldn't trust anyone here.

"You stay away from him," Jongin demanded.

"What did he do?" Kyungsoo asked; the question displeased Jongin.

"He is none of your business. Just stay away from him." Jongin repeated. He didn't even care to hide how much he disliked Woo Bin.

"Ok," Kyungsoo quickly realized that he should not provoke Jongin at this moment.

"Tomorrow, you're coming too. Father would want to see you," Jongin commanded without asking for Kyungsoo's opinion.

The next morning came quickly. Kyungsoo was so tired that he fell asleep immediately. During breakfast, Jongin gave him the address. Suho should drive him. However, he should wait for Jongin, so they'd appear together. Luckily, Kyungsoo managed to go shopping before dinner. He asked Suho about Woo Bin and found out the man had gone to jail for malicious injury. The guy he'd beaten up had turned out to be a policeman. Without the influence of his father, he certainly would get more than 12 months. Suho told him that until 9 months ago Woo Bin had still been Mr. Kim's successor and whom Byun Baekhyun was supposed to marry. However, Baekhyun's father didn't accept a postponement for 12 months, therefore Jongin had taken Woo Bin's place. To sum up, Jongin's becoming the heir was thanks to Baekhyun. Now Kyungsoo understood why Jongin treated him so badly. Jongin probably thought he'd have to prove his leader's skills. Kyungsoo's presence must constantly remind Jongin of that.

"...not everyone is born to be the only heir like you, lucky bastard. Some people have to protect their position from their brothers..." Kyungsoo remembered Jongin's words. Now everything made sense.

"I don't like this whole thing. You'll be in there with three of the most dangerous men of Seoul," Suho said as they drove into the garage. The Japanese restaurant was on the seventh floor of a 12-storey building. Though, on the ground floor, there was an express elevator to the restaurant.

"Nothing is gonna happen. It's just dinner." Kyungsoo tried to calm Suho down. Suho had always been the big brother he never had; caring, overprotective, and strict.

It didn't take long until Jongin's car was in sight. Gangster or not, Jongin was always punctual. He seemed to discuss something with his chauffeur before getting out.

"Suho, did you know Woo Bin came out earlier?" Jongin asked while his driver parked the car.

"I just heard some rumors yesterday," Suho replied. Of course, he was informed, if the son of a powerful crime syndicate's leader was released from prison. The police had Woo Bin shadowed, but after the second day, they had lost him.

"I want you to find out what my brother did for the last 6 days."

"Understood."

"Right now," Jongin demanded as Suho didn't move.

"Now? Shouldn't I wait to drive Baekhyun home?" Suho asked.

"No, you do what I say." Jongin knew he wasn't attentive, and yet he noticed Suho's glance which was addressed to "Baekhyun." As if they could communicate telepathically. It displeased him how close these two had become in such a short time. But he was sure that what he felt wasn't jealousy. At least that was what he thought.

As Suho drove away, there were only Kyungsoo and him left in the deserted garage. It was fascinating how quiet such a place could be. Jongin thought he could hear his own breathing.

"My father expects us to be a real married couple," Jongin said as he reached for Kyungsoo's hand; as though he needed an explanation. It surprised Kyungsoo how warm Jongin's hand was, how such warmth could be created by such a cold person.

"So I should pretend we're in love?" That was more of a statement than a question.

"You're not that stupid, huh?" Kyungsoo wondered if Jongin was able to compliment others.

"Is your father traditional?" Kyungsoo asked as they stepped in the elevator.

"You think a man who makes his son marry another man is traditional?"

"Then why doesn't he accept a fictitious marriage?"

"You always ask so many questions?"

"Well, I don't want to be stupid, right?" Kyungsoo said and Jongin looked at him in disbelief, as if he wasn't used to sarcasm. For a brief moment, Kyungsoo thought he saw Jongin smile. Someone with such a beautiful smile should do it more often, he thought.  
The Japanese room that was reserved for them was empty as they both arrived. Time passed and there was still no sign of the others. Obviously, punctuality didn't run in the family.

"Why do you hate your brother so much?" Kyungsoo asked. Jongin wasn't a talkative person. However, Kyungsoo wasn't going to sit there and endure the unnecessary awkward silences.

"Because he is a conniving liar," Jongin said.

"What did he lie about?"

"Everything that comes out of his mouth is a lie. You can't trust him," Jongin warned.

"Ok? Do you have other siblings?"

"I have a younger brother." Three sons? Kyungsoo asked himself whether Mr. Kim wanted a daughter.

"Is he coming today?"

"No." Kyungsoo noticed that Jongin had the habit to say only what was necessary since Jongin had answered every question as short as possible.

"Why not?" Kyungsoo didn't give up. One must be able to carry on a conversation with this man, right? The questioning didn't seem to bother Jongin though.

"He is at a boarding school."

"How old is he?"

Just then Woo Bin and Mr. Kim came into the room and all sudden Jongin's mood dropped. Yet, he feigned a smile.

"Hello Mr. Kim, Mrs. Kim isn't coming?" Kyungsoo asked after greeting. Woo Bin had hugged him and Jongin didn't like it either.

"By now you should call us mom and dad, don't you think?" Jongin's father said.

"You're right. I still have to get used to it." Kyungsoo apologized and corrected himself.

"Is mom not coming?"

"Moms," said Jongin.

Moms? Plural?

"Woo Bin's mother has made a habit of not answering the phone when father calls. My mother is shopping somewhere in Europe. And Yoogeun's mother, let me guess, she doesn't want to have dinner with the sons of others while her own is at a boarding school?" Jongin had lost control.

"Stop it right now," Mr. Kim demanded while Woo Bin tried to hide his laughter. At least someone was amused. Though Kyungsoo wasn't sure why. Because of Jongin's little speech or because his brother was being yelled at.

"I'm sure she just wanted us to have a boy’s night out." Kyungsoo tried to extinguish the fire and he succeeded. Mr. Kim looked at him like his father always did when he was proud of him.

"Let's order. I hope you like sushi, Baekhyun."

"Yes, I do. As long as it isn't raw fish."

"Oh, don't worry, the menu is enormous." Woo Bin said.

"That's great. Do you like sushi, Jongin?" Kyungsoo turned to Jongin.

He did his best to involve Jongin in the conversation. It was anything but easy. Jongin was really... really no man for a talk. Apart from that, the dinner was unexpectedly pleasant. If he didn't know better, he would never take Mr. Kim for the most dangerous man in Seoul. Although he was well built and looked serious most of the time he was, like Woo Bin, charming and funny. Clearly, Jongin hadn't inherited these characteristics.

Now that Kyungsoo got to know Jongin's big half-brother better, he thought that he liked him. Woo Bin had the same humor as Kyungsoo and he treated him like a little brother. Not the way he treated Jongin though. The tension between those two was clearly noticeable. No, he treated Kyungsoo like a loving big brother would, like Jun Myeon did. As the evening came to an end, everyone went in the elevator together, and Jongin took his hand again. Jongin had held his hand several times during the meal, and each time he did it obviously so that his father could see them. Yet the straight Jongin wasn't ready for more than that. When Kyungsoo pretended to be in love and fed him, his face flushed as if he just drank a whole vodka bottle.

They reached Mr. Kim's car first and as soon as it was out of sight, Jongin let go of Kyungsoo's hand. Then he was back to being the cold Jongin. Woo Bin stuck his head out of his red sports car and waved at Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo ran to him while Jongin didn't even turn his head. However, from the corner of his eye, he could still see them well. He should keep an eye on Kyungsoo because that was what his father had told him earlier. That was the only reason, he told himself.

"You guys did your best but I don't think father bought it."

"We were that bad?" Kyungsoo asked. Mr. Kim didn't seem to be dissatisfied.

"I am over 30 and after all those years I still haven't figured out how to fool the old man yet. So, if I tell you that you can't sell him fake love, then you can believe me," Woo Bin said.

"I don't know what else to do." Woo Bin smiled and motioned for Kyungsoo to bow down.

"I told you I'll help you, didn't I?" he whispered in Kyungsoo's ear as Kyungsoo came closer.

"And how?" Kyungsoo asked. If he knew what coming, he wouldn't have asked this question. Woo Bin grabbed his collar and pulled him close. The next thing Kyungsoo felt was Woo Bin's lips on his own. It wasn't a passionate kiss but definitely not an ordinary goodbye kiss either. When Woo Bin finally let go, Kyungsoo was speechless. What could you say in such a situation?

"You know, the best way to catch a man's interest is to make him jealous."

"What?" That was the result of Kyungsoo's entire effort to say something.

"And there he comes." Woo Bin pointed at Jongin, who was rushing to them. "You're welcome," he added with a wink and drove off. Kyungsoo was sure his trembling would cause an earthquake. He panicked as Jongin stood in front of him. He had only read about the murderous aura. Now he knew what it looked like.


	11. Good Human

Just gonna leave this here for the mood and because it's beautiful ^^

Kyungsoo watched Jongin hastened to him. With every step, the pressure in his chest increased, as if he'd dive into the deep ocean. No, as if he was pulled into the water against his will. He couldn't breathe and the pressure in his chest reached a dangerous level. Was it possible for a lung to implode?  
  
There Jongin stood, hardly one step away. His eyes were as red as they would cry blood at any moment. Kyungsoo felt like he was drowning. Jongin grabbed his wrist and squeezed it tightly. Too tightly. Yet gang leader didn't say a word. Kyungsoo wished Jongin would say something, but he remained silent. His grip, on the other hand, was still as harsh as before.  
  
"You're hurting me," Kyungsoo whispered. Jongin seemed to respond. But not as Kyungsoo had hoped. Instead, Jongin pulled him close just to immediately push him in a different direction. Next thing Kyungsoo knew was how his head slammed against the wall and his wrist still hurt like hell. His right hand began to go numb, but Jongin didn't seem to notice. Jongin approached him. His eyes fixated on Kyungsoo's lips. Just when Kyungsoo thought Jongin couldn't come closer, he felt Jongin's breath on his cheek. Kyungsoo was neither an innocent angel nor naive. He knew what was to come. Yet, Jongin stood frozen. One, two, three, four ... second. How long were they in this awkward position? Kyungsoo had lost track of time because his heart was beating with double speed. His right hand was probably beyond remedy.  
  
"Please, you're hurting me," he repeated. Jongin backed off suddenly as if he had received an electric shock and Kyungsoo was the power source.  
  
At that moment, Jongin's car arrived. The driver got out to open both doors.  
  
"Get in," Jongin demanded. And that was all he had said until they got home. The ride was like a scene from a silent movie. No one had lost a single word. As if someone had pressed pause and their fight had taken a break. However, Jongin's anger didn't decrease a bit, just like Kyungsoo's panic. Jongin forced himself not to worry, yet he couldn't take his eyes from Kyungsoo's wounded wrist. That will certainly leave bruises for days. He wasn't aware of how brutal he had been. He should have known it better. Kyungsoo had a very slim figure, almost fragile. It wouldn’t take much force to hurt such a person.  
  
When they finally got home, Kyungsoo hurried to his room. He wasn't a coward, just reasonable. Well, sometimes he avoided confrontations, but who didn't do that from time to time? Jongin ran after him and with his long legs, he reached Kyungsoo quickly, just before Kyungsoo reached the last two stairs. Jongin reflexively grabbed Kyungsoo's wrist only to let go immediately as Kyungsoo cried in pain.  
  
"What the hell happened earlier?" He finally asked the question which he should have asked for more than 30 minutes ago.  
  
"Woo Bin surprised me. I didn't know what he was about to do." Kyungsoo explained.  
  
"So you thought you should play along?"  
  
"What do you mean 'play along'? I tried to push him away from me." Kyungsoo defended himself.  
  
"It didn't look like you did."  
  
"But I did. And what do you even care?" Kyungsoo couldn't explain why, but he was suddenly angry. Despite the situation he was in, he was an honest man. He didn't like to lie. Actually, he barely lied. He preferred silent than lies. Therefore he hated it when people called him a liar.  
  
"I don't like my property to run around and spread its legs for everyone." Kyungsoo wasn't sure which part of this sentence bothered him more. That he was like an object or an animal that would belong to Jongin or that he was called a whore.  
  
"We need to get clear about this once for all. I'm not a slut, and if I'd sleep with the entire city, it's still none of your business. Because you.don't.own.me." Kyungsoo announced. To him, the discussion was finished. He considered himself a rational person who didn't get himself into a pointless debate. No good characteristic for a prospective psychiatrist, he knew that.  
  
"You're not talking to me that way," Jongin said, clenching his teeth in anger. As Kyungsoo rolled his eyes and turned around, he lost his last piece of self-control and pulled Kyungsoo on the upper arm, however, stronger than he'd intended. He just wanted Kyungsoo to turn back. But instead, Kyungsoo lost his balance. He fell down the stairs.  
  
For a few seconds, everything was silent. Then, all Jongin heard was Kyungsoo's screaming. Kyungsoo cried in pain. Jongin was used to people crying but the way Kyungsoo cried - Jongin thought – was like a kid. And the fact that Kyungsoo looked much younger for his age, wasn't helping at all.  
  
"I didn't mean this to happen," Jongin said, as he hurried to Kyungsoo. However, Kyungsoo couldn't hear him through the sobbing. He tried to stand up, but his leg was like paralyzed. The pain was unbearable and indescribable. There was no blood, but it felt like someone stabbed a knife through his bone. At least, that was how he imagined being injured with a knife. It was just the worst pain he could imagine.  
  
"The doctor is on her way, hang in there." Jongin tried to calm the crying boy.  
  
"Everything will be fine, I promise." He tried anew and once again without success. Usually, if he inflicted pain on somebody, he wouldn't need to comfort the person. What would ordinary people do in such a situation? Dumb question, normal and him? That was a dead end. So he relied on his big brother's instinct. He might not be a good man, but he wasn't a bad brother. What would he do if Yoogeun was crying?  
  
"Shall I hold you?" Jongin asked. Spoken it sounded even more stupid than in his head. Kyungsoo just looked at him, saying nothing, but his crying softened. Just like Yoogeun, Jongin thought and helped Kyungsoo to sit up. He pulled Kyungsoo gently to his chest. Now he could feel clearly how the other boy was shivering. Kyungsoo buried his face in Jongin’s shoulder. As slender as Kyungsoo was, Jongin wouldn't have thought, the boy could be so soft. Having Kyungsoo in his arms reminded him of hugging a teddy bear as if Kyungsoo was a giant teddy bear. He gently stroked Kyungsoo's head and kept saying that everything would be fine. Finally, it seemed to work. Kyungsoo slowly calmed down. As Jongin looked down to wipe the younger's tears, his finger touched Kyungsoo's rosy lips. He wasn't aware that he once again obsessively stared at them until someone knocked on the door and interrupted his thoughts. He immediately let go of Kyungsoo to invite the family doctor in.  
  
Kyungsoo was surprised how quickly the doctor made it. She was barely older than his own mother, but much smaller. She carried a red emergency bag and a portable X-ray equipment. As Kyungsoo suspected, his left leg was broken. She gave him two painkillers and something to calm him down. The pills worked fast. While Jongin was still talking to the doctor, or to be more exact, while Jongin received specific instructions from her, Kyungsoo fell asleep.  
  
________________________________  
  
Jongin gently put Kyungsoo on the bed and carefully put a pillow under his feet. He didn't want to embrace Kyungsoo again, but he couldn't leave an injured person slept on the couch, right? He covered the smaller boy up and turned off the light. Then he looked at Kyungsoo one last time to make sure he didn't forget anything.  
  
"I'm sorry," he muttered. He should have said it aloud much earlier. But it was easier to apologize when the other person was asleep. Because of that, he wasn't a coward, was he?  
  
Jongin let himself falling down his bed. He could sense it was going to be a sleepless night again. The sleeping pills seemed to lose their effect. He should have asked Doctor Song for a new prescription. Through the open window, Jongin stared into the darkness. The whole day was shown again in his head. Suddenly it was clear in his mind, he would have kissed Kyungsoo twice. He wanted to kiss Kyungsoo twice.  
  
Why did I want to do it? He wondered. No, that was the wrong question. Why hadn't he done it?  
  
Jongin jumped up and hurried to Kyungsoo's room. Just a kiss, Kyungsoo wouldn't even notice. He sat down next to his still sleeping husband and leaned forward. The distance between them became shorter and shorter and finally, their lips met. Jongin didn't expect the lips of a man to be so soft.  
  
Actually, a kiss was all he wanted. However, he couldn't stop. Without realizing it, the innocent kiss turned into a passionate one which let Jongin forget everything else; for example, the fact that he had attacked Kyungsoo in his sleep. Only when he had to gasp for air, he noticed that Kyungsoo had opened his eyes. But Jongin didn't care. He kissed Kyungsoo's neck and his hands found their way under the other’s shirt.  
  
"What are you doing?" He heard Kyungsoo asked in confusion and decided to ignore it.  
  
"I don't understand," Kyungsoo said, Jongin finally looked at his so-called husband. Until now he wasn't aware of those beautiful eyes Kyungsoo had.  
  
"Do you understand this?" He asked before kissing Kyungsoo again like there was no tomorrow. To his surprise, Kyungsoo kissed back. He was wrong. This was what he wanted.  
  
"I'll take that as a yes," he said breathlessly. Jongin didn't know how it happened, but there they were, both shirtless. He enjoyed Kyungsoo's warmth and Kyungsoo's tender skin on his. Then his hands moved lower and he took off the last piece clothing on Kyungsoo. Jongin placed a gentle kiss on Kyungsoo's belly and slowly lowered his head. Now he was exactly where he wanted to be. He looked down and suddenly froze.  
  
"I don't know how to do it," he said, still unmoving. How should he know when he had never been together with a man? Next, he only heard Kyungsoo yelling "What?" before the younger boy kicked him out of bed with his sound leg. His head slammed against the hard, cold floor and at that moment, he realized he was still in his room. All alone.  
  
"When did I fall asleep?" He wondered and breathed out. Luckily it was just a dream. Yet, what did people say about dreams? They reflected our hidden desires, didn't they?  
  
"Fuck," He exclaimed.


	12. Happiness

Chanyeol buttoned the last button on his white shirt. Finally, he was properly dressed. With difficulty, he tried to erase the picture of Baekhyun's bare skin from his memory. And when he succeeded, he only needed to retain himself from imagining Baekhyun in the bathtub; then his life would be back to normal like it once was. Yet, he knew it was impossible for him to turn back. Back before their encounter? Before their wedding? He feared he was falling for his husband. What a ridiculous sentence, yet so true.

But now wasn't a good time for daydreaming. He had to find out what had happened between Baekhyun and him last night. He woke up the detective he had always wanted to be as a child. If he hadn't become a scientist, he'd have been a policeman now.

So, ready, set, go!

First, the living room; there were two wine glasses on the table and an empty red wine bottle on the couch. However, the couch had no stains, so was the rest of the room. This most likely means it hadn't been spilled. So it implied that they had drunk the whole bottle because when they had left the beach house, it was still unopened. The hosts had prepared it when he heard that they were going out; just like the candles and rose petals on the bed, they found, when they came back from the date.

He knew his alcohol limit very good. He certainly hadn't needed much until his brain had stopped working. Accordingly, the rest must have been drunk by Baekhyun. The way Baekhyun looked when he woke up, he didn't seem to have a hangover though. That was the moment Chanyeol realized, Baekhyun had a great alcohol tolerance.

On the table lay the remote control. As far back as he could remember, it hung on the wall, right next to the TV. Chanyeol took the remote and checked which program they'd watched last.

_Please don't be porn._

Chanyeol breathed out in relief when he saw in the history that a movie was played last. So they'd sat here, had drunk and had watched ... London has fallen? An action film that was a good sign, wasn't it? Because it that means no romance. Who knows what might happen otherwise?

_Oh, you know exactly_ _what happened_ , the annoying voice in his head said. No, he wasn't schizophrenic. He soliloquized on occasion. Perhaps slightly more often than he would like to admit. The talks were always harmless. It simply helped him concentrate better. However, today, the conversation only bothered him.

So what would two drunken adults do, after watching an action movie? Chanyeol looked around. His eyes scanned every detail of the room. He turned his whole body in different directions instead of moving his eyes because looking from the corner of his eye ached. He quickly discovered sand on the floor.

Chanyeol followed the clue to the bedroom. There was even some sand on the bed if the tiny grains that he felt under his hand wasn't accumulated dust. Following the lead backward, he went through the living room and reached their private beach as expected.

Things were making sense since he could remember doing something on the beach. Without effort, he discovered his wet shirt in the sand and next to it was Baekhyun's. Yet much more striking was a small mountain of sand, which was obviously a mistrial to build something. By this, he could remember. They wanted to build a sandcastle for real. The images in his mind became clearer as he felt the cold water stroking his feet.

_"Look, a shooting star," Baekhyun screamed suddenly as he grabbed Chanyeol's arm to draw his attention to the night sky._ _But instead, Chanyeol only looked at Baekhyun's face as it beamed with joy._ The fact _was, he was at the time already drunk;_ _because otherwise there wouldn't be an explanation for seeing two Baekhyuns._

_"Oh no, I forgot to wish for something." Even when bulking, he was incredibly sweet, Chanyeol thought._

_"Did you wish for something, Channie?" Baekhyun turned to him._ _Immediately he looked away, like a student who was caught spiking._

_"No, I didn't." He replied._

_"Oh, what a shame," Baekhyun said, lowering his head._ _He sat down on the beach and looked up again._

_"Want to hear something funny?" Baekhyun asked as Chanyeol lay beside him._

_"Of course."_

_" As a child, I tried to count the stars...several times," Baekhyun told._

_"For real?"_

_"Yes, how stupid I was, huh?" Baekhyun said and laughed at himself._ _Yet it wasn't an amusing laugh._ _Even the drunken Chanyeol could hear the sadness in it._ _For a while, all they heard were the waves and the wind playing with the trees._ _Baekhyun didn't know why he'd told Chanyeol that, it wasn't really a funny story._ _On the contrary, it was a sad story about a pathetic little boy who had repeatedly tried to count the stars, because the last thing his mother had said to him was that he should never forget how much she loved him._ _If he ever forgot, he should look at the stars;_ _because she loved him that much._

_"I even reached over 100. What an idiot I was." Chanyeol hated watching such a cheerful person as Baekhyun being so sad._

_"If you want, I'll count them for you." In retrospect, the idea was clearly nonsense._ _But when you're drunk, every nonsense seemed to be logical._

_Baekhyun looked at him questioningly and when he realized that Chanyeol had exceeded his alcohol limit, his smile was back again._ _This time, a real one._

_"Yes, please." Baekhyun joked and Chanyeol began to count the stars._

_..._

_"25, 26, 27," Chanyeol counted, pointing with his finger at the sky._

_"But Channie, 28 comes after 26" Baekhyun couldn't resist the temptation to fool the drunken Chanyeol._

_"You're right._ _I'll start from the beginning." Chanyeol said._ _The moment he heard Baekhyun beautiful laugh, he was very proud of himself._

_"1, 2 ... Why am I seeing double?_ _These glasses are broken." With that, he removed his glasses and threw them into the water._ _Baekhyun gasped, putting his hand on his mouth._ _He didn't mean that to happen._ _Maybe he went too far._ _But still, that was pretty funny._ _As Chanyeol continued counting despite his week eyesight, Baekhyun pulled down his hand which was still pointing at the stars._

_"That's enough, Chanyeol, I was just kidding._ _You don't have to count the stars." Baekhyun confessed._

_"But I want to count them for you," Chanyeol replied._

_"But I don't want to know how many of them are there. Besides, it's crazy." Baekhyun said with a smile._

_"Then tell me what else I can do for you."_

_"Why do you want to do something for me?"_

_"Because you look so sad." Chanyeol's answer puzzled Baekhyun._ _He?_ _Sad?_ _Never had anyone said that to him?_ _He considered himself as a cheerful person and apparently people thought the same about him._ _The only exception was this stranger, whom he had just met a few days ago._

_"I'm not sad." Baekhyun smiled to prove his assertion._

_"And why are your eyes looking like they want to cry?" Chanyeol asked._

_"I don't know what you mean."_

_"Please tell me how I can cheer you up."_

_Baekhyun wasn't sure what to do._ _Nobody had made such an effort to make happy._ _He needed to come up with something to not disappoint Chanyeol;_ _otherwise, he would feel very guilty._

_"All right let me think," Baekhyun said._ _Chanyeol looked at him with hopeful eyes;_ _like a child while unpacking Christmas presents._

_"I've never built a sand castle._ _I want to build one."_

_"For real?_ _You've never built a sand castle as a child? "Chanyeol asked._

_"I had ... let's say an unusual childhood." And once again Chanyeol looked at him as if he were a pitiful person._ _But he wasn't._ _He had grown up with men who hadn't wanted to play with a little boy._ _They had never shown him how to build a sand castle or a snowman,_ _but they'd showed him how to fight._ _That was fine because martial arts are more useful than a children's game._

_"No problem, I'll make up for it," Chanyeol said and began to dig the wet sand with his bare hands._

_"What are you doing?_ _I didn't mean right now._ _We have no tool." Baekhyun grabbed Chanyeol's hands and prevented the other boy from continuing._ _He held Chanyeol's hands firmly in his._

_"We don't need to do it now."_

_"But..."_

_"Look me," Baekhyun asked as he turned Chanyeol to him so that they'd face each other directly._

_"I'm not sad._ _I'm in a wonderful place, with a man I can only dream of._ _I would be mad if I was unhappy." Baekhyun hadn't lied._ _He meant every word he said._ _If there was one reason to be dissatisfied;_ _then it was the fact that all this had an expiration date._ _Exactly in 9 days._

_"I think I'm falling in love with you," Chanyeol confessed without realizing._

Just then Chanyeol remembered the kiss that followed. Now he would never get that picture out of his head again. Not that he wanted to erase such a fabulous image from his memory. How he'd kissed Baekhyun for the first time, under a starry sky as they listened to the rush of the sea. How Baekhyun had passionately kissed back and how Baekhyun's lips tasted. He wouldn't exchange these memories for any amount of money in the world. The only thing that bothered him was that he had no idea what happened after the kiss. Although he was able to guess; he was still a scientist. He needed a confirmation, not an unproven hypothesis.

The day passed by quickly, Chanyeol enjoyed Baekhyun's companion. The sudden change which was hard to miss, he liked it. He liked holding hand with Baekhyun. He liked the spontaneous kisses Baekhyun laid on his lips. He liked how Baekhyun leaned his head on his shoulder when they were traveling by boat. But he didn't like the uncertainty. The whole day, he made innuendos about last night, hoping Baekhyun would tell him what exactly happened. But he was unsuccessful.

When they returned to the beach house after dinner, Chanyeol was about to go mad. He tried one last time to find out the truth. Actually, he couldn't even tell which answer he was hoping for. On the one hand, he wouldn't hate to have slept with this beautiful man. But on the other hand, he intended to take it slow. He wanted to know more about Baekhyun first.

"So, yesterday ... it was really fun ..."

"It sure was," Baekhyun replied, biting his lower lip in a sexy way.

"Yes, especially this thing ..." Chanyeol put out the bait. Come on, Baekhyun, finish the sentence. However, Baekhyun just looked at him curiously, as if he knew what Chanyeol was up to and did it on purpose.

"Yes?" Baekhyun questioned.

"Nothing, I'm sorry." Baekhyun gave him a quizzical look but didn't say anything. That was the moment Chanyeol realized he would have been a terrible detective.

"I want some wine; you?" Baekhyun asked and headed to the kitchen as Chanyeol stopped him by holding his wrist.

"I have to tell you something," Chanyeol said.

"Is everything ok? You were acting weird the whole day. "

"I don't remember last night."

"What?" Baekhyun muttered softly. And before Chanyeol could ask what had happened between them, he felt a sharp pain on his cheek. Chanyeol was paralyzed. He hadn't seen it coming. He hadn't expected Baekhyun to be so strong either.

"Asshole," Baekhyun yelled at him and disappeared behind the bedroom, slamming the door closed.

_What had he done wrong?_

_______________________

After leaving the 14th voicemail on Kyungsoo's phone, Suho lay down in his fluffy bed and curled up in his blanket. In the next moment, he slept tightly like a bear in hibernation. He cried out loud, as a ringtone ripped him out of his sleep. But it wasn't any ringtone but Jongin's.  
Fully awake, he answered.  
"Jongin? Did something happen?" Suho asked impatiently. When did something good happen, if your boss called you in the middle of the night? And if your "employer" was Kim Jongin, it might mean a natural disaster.  
"Nothing. I just want to let you know that you don't have to come by tomorrow. Take care of Woo Bin instead. "  
"I can do both. I can have an eye on Baekhyun and find out what Woo Bin did." Suho said.  
"You do what I said," Jongin demanded and hung up.  
Suho immediately dialed Kyungsoo's number.  
"Damn," he shouted out loud as the voice once again told him to leave a message.  
Suho was so worried, he couldn't go back to sleep even though he was bone-weary. He couldn't contact Kyungsoo the whole day and now Jongin didn't want to let him see Kyungsoo? Did Jongin know something? Was Kyungsoo in danger?

Do you think Chanyeol deserved the slap? Don't hate Baekkie for that, ok? (Hate me instead ^^)   



	13. You

Baekhyun slammed the door shut behind and threw himself on the bed. No one had made him so angry since his father had gone to prison. How often had the guys he'd slept with acted like they had a hangover? Just so they could pretend nothing happened. Until now, he was fine with it. Yes, he was even glad every time he could avoid an embarrassing conversation. However, he hadn't expected Chanyeol to be one of them. Especially not after Chanyeol had confessed to him. It was just another lie to get into his pants. Sex didn't matter to him. It was just sex. Yet, lying and playing with his feelings was unforgivable. He should have punched that jerk much stronger.

Still hearing Chanyeol's voice through the closed door, Baekhyun put on his headphones to block any upcoming lies. He stared at the ceiling, thinking about the next step. In the end, he decided upon an early return. Tomorrow morning, he would call the airline and book the next flight home. The music in his ears soothed him and without noticing, he fell asleep.

When the wind flung open the window, the slam ripped Baekhyun from his sleep. "It's raining," Baekhyun thought of the obvious. He carefully approached the window and closed it, after making sure that no one or nothing was standing outside. Nightly thunderstorm on the beach was kind of creepy.

He was about to go to the living room to check the other windows as he found Chanyeol right next to the bedroom door. The older one was sitting on the floor with his hands behind his neck and his face looking down. He looked like a criminal who had been caught and was now waiting for his interrogation.

Immediately, Chanyeol noticed Baekhyun. He was silent, but his eyes were like those of a puppy when it asked for a treat.

"You were here the whole time?" Baekhyun asked, trying to avoid those eyes.

"Please listen to me." Chanyeol pleaded.

"Why? So you can tell me more lies? "

"I never lied to you. I really forgot what happened last night and it seems like we had slept with each other. But I didn't want to draw premature conclusions. That's why I ask you if we did? "

"I understand," Baekhyun replied. His voice was calm. Yet inside, he was burning in anger.

"Well, you know, sometimes there are situations that are not what they look like. And yesterday ..." Baekhyun paused. Yes, he had to admit he was a drama queen.

"It was exactly what it looked like." Baekhyun saw clearly how hope returned in Chanyeol's eyes and how it was immediately extinguished by his words. Even though he felt a touch of bad conscience, it was still a pleasure to punish Chanyeol. Suddenly, he was afraid of himself. Was he a sadist? A psychopath? When Chanyeol didn't know what to say, Baekhyun saved him from his suffering.

"You know what? Let's just pretend nothing had happened. You go your way and I go mine. "

"But that's not what I want." Chanyeol finally said.

"Then what do you want from me?"

"I want to know what happened. I want to know what to do. "

"Oh, and before you know that, you've decided to act like an ass?" Baekhyun roared.

"I was wrong, I know. But I really don't know what happened after the kiss. I want you to tell me. I don't want to pretend nothing happened between us." Chanyeol explained.

"You didn't forget the kiss?" Baekhyun asked in amazement. Now it occurred to him, Chanyeol hadn't had a chance to speak at all.

"No, I didn't, neither the kiss nor what I said before. Was that the reason you're so mad at me?"

"Well ... yes." Wasn't it obvious? Everything seemed as if Chanyeol had only confessed to get Baekhyun into bed; and the morning after, he chose the easiest way to get out of the mess.

"Kyungsoo, I'm not that kind of man."

"If you'd know how many times I've heard that," Baekhyun stated.

"Would I ask you to tell me everything if I wanted to pretend I forgot everything?" Chanyeol mounted the decisive argument. For a brief moment, Baekhyun relaxed. Just then, something came back on his mind.

"And what exactly do you expect from me?" He asked curiously. By that Chanyeol breathed in deeply, as if he were afraid to ask the coming question.

"Do you regret it?" He asked.

"Do you regret it?" Baekhyun returned the question.

"No," Chanyeol answered without hesitation. "I mean, I can't remember, but I'm sure wouldn't regret it."

"Good, because I don't either," Baekhyun replied. Finally, an answer that made them both happy.

"So, that was 'Much Ado About Nothing'?" Chanyeol asked. This was less a question than a statement. The whole argument suddenly seemed ridiculous.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, nothing. I just meant I should have said it all from the start. Then, we probably wouldn't have fought. Can you forgive me? "

To be honest, anger can't fade so quickly. However, Baekhyun was also a reasonable person. There was no reason to continue being angry at Chanyeol. Even if, he wouldn't be able to say no to these puppy eyes.

"Of course." Chanyeol felt stones falling off his shoulders.

"Thank you," he said.

"That was our first fight as a couple ... well, a couple on a test run" Baekhyun pointed out.

"You're right."

"Do you know what's the best thing about fighting?" Baekhyun asked with a deeper voice as he approached Chanyeol.

'Please say, make-up sex ', Chanyeol thought. He wanted to be a gentleman. But even a gentleman had a desire.

"Make-up sex," Baekhyun whispered in his ear. Even without looking, he knew Chanyeol was smiling. The next minute eerily passed as Chanyeol pulled him in for a kiss that took away his breath. Next thing he knew was lying on the bed, between Chanyeol's legs. Chanyeol, kneeling over him, bent down to give him another wet kiss on his neck.

"Should I tell you something about last night?" Baekhyun said breathlessly. Chanyeol let out a sound as a signal that he was listening. His attention, however, was focused on Baekhyun's flawless skin.

"I was very surprised. I didn't think you would be so wild in bed." Baekhyun said and conjured a smirk on Chanyeol's lips.

**I'm just gonna leave this sexiness here to make up for the none-existing smut hahaha**   


________________________

Kyungsoo opened his eyes as his cell phone didn't stop vibrating. He hated this sound. Since he slept with music, he always set his alarm on vibration so that he could separate the sounds. Whoever was woken up by this noise for years would also hate it. With half-opened eyes, he looked at his phone. He'd just missed the call by a second. Including it, he had 15 missed calls, 5 kakaotalk messages, 3 SMS as well as notifications that he had new voicemails. And all were from Jun Myeon. Sometimes he wondered if Jun Myeon weren’t an old man. SMS was still acceptable, but Voicemails? Who still used the mailbox nowadays?

Taking a look at the clock, Kyungsoo couldn't believe it was already after 11 am. He almost missed half of the day. After the long call with Jun Myeon, he clearly felt the need for a glass of water for his dry throat. It wasn't easy to convince Jun Myeon that he was fine; apart from the broken leg, of course. It was also not easy to explain to him that everything was just an accident. In the end, Kyungsoo still didn't know if Jun Myeon believed him.

Step by step, he walked toward the door. He paid attention, not to put too much pressure on his left leg. Fortunately, he already had some exercises in it. This wasn't the first time he had broken his leg. It was his right leg last time though. As he stood on top of the stairs, looking down, he realized for the first time how high it was. Kyungsoo couldn't help but felt a little dizzy.

"Don't be a wimp. You won't be afraid of stairs. "

After he took the first step, the next ones seemed to be no problem until he, suddenly, tripped on thin air. It was difficult to keep balance if you could barely feel your leg. Kyungsoo, however, didn't panic. He knew he wouldn't fall as long as he wouldn't loosen his grip on the stairs. Yet, out of the blue, he felt a strong arm around his waist. In shock, he let go. Shit, he thought; this time he'd fall. Instead, he only sensed those strong arms pulled him closer to the man behind him. Even without moving his eyes, he knew it was Jongin. He had immediately recognized Jongin's unique perfume. The scent was fresh and intense. It reminded Kyungsoo of a Tom Ford cologne he had a few years ago, but still, it was different.

"What the hell are you doing?" Jongin asked, without intending to let go, although the smaller man was now standing on his own feet. Kyungsoo had to admit, he enjoyed Jongin's warmth.

"I wanted to get myself something to drink." He answered and turned his head to Jongin. At that moment, he realized how close they were. If he were standing one step higher, their lips would touch. So, thank God he wasn’t.

"You should have called me."

"You would have helped me?" Kyungsoo tried not to sound too surprised. But in fact, he was. Jongin didn't answer and Kyungsoo took his silence as a confirmation. He hadn't shared a house with Jongin for a long time, but he could already notice some habits Jongin had. For example, he always read something on his iPad while eating; he disappeared every day for at least 3 hours in the training room, and he'd keep silent when he was embarrassed. Kyungsoo didn't want to push his luck though.

"You can let go of me. I can walk by myself." He changed the topic.

"Yes, you can, but you shouldn't," Jongin replied and bent down to lay his arm behind Kyungsoo's knees. The next moment, he lifted Kyungsoo up and embraced the injured man tightly as Kyungsoo screamed with fright.

"It's all right, I won't let you fall," Jongin stated.

"Even if you're heavier than you look." Kyungsoo wasn't sure if Jongin had actually made a joke until he saw Jongin's smile. He didn't understand why someone would want to hide such a beautiful smile. It took Kyungsoo a whole minute to realize that he was staring at Jongin and his heart began to pound violently. He feared Jongin could hear his heartbeats or even feel it, as close as he was held to Jongin’s chest.

"I do sports," he replied, looking away.

"Not in the next days."

"Are you worried about me?"

Jongin kept silent. This side of the boss, the one everyone was afraid of, Kyungsoo liked it. It was nice to know that he lived in a house with a man and not a cold machine. Jongin laid him on the bed with caution and went into the kitchen without a word. He came back with an empty glass and a water bottle.

"I'll fill it when it's empty. You stay in bed today." Jongin put the glass on the nightstand and poured the water in.

"Here, drink. I'll tell my men to get you something to eat." With that Jongin disappeared just as suddenly as he appeared. Kyungsoo wondered why Jongin was so caring today. The gang leader must have a terrible bad conscience. Kyungsoo knew he should tell Jongin that he forgave him. However, he wanted to be spoiled for a little longer, as an act of revenge on Jongin for treating him so badly at the beginning. He remembered what Jun Myeon used to say about him; that he was passive aggressive.

“Kyunggie, I'd never dare to mess with you”, Jun Myeon always said.

It barely took Jongin 30 minutes to return with a tablet full of foods. Kyungsoo loved the idea of Jongin as a nurse, but when Jongin tried to feed him, he had to protest.

"Please let me eat by myself, okay? My leg is broken, not my arm. "

"Fine," Jongin said, handing him the spoon. After that, he didn't move but watched as if to make sure that Kyungsoo really ate. This was an unfortunate habit he owed to his younger brother. Yoogeun was often sick and every time, he refused to eat when Jongin wasn't there. Thus, Jongin had to go home every single time the little one caught a cold, only to take care of him. He hated visiting his father and his third wife, but he loved his half-brother ... his younger half-brother. Not the older one. Since Yoogeun was sent to boarding school, he’ has missed him every day. The only advantage of this was that the contact to his father was restricted to business matters.

A tender touch on his arm brought Jongin back to reality.

"Did you say something?" He asked.

"I was just wondering why you don't have a housemaid?"

"I do. But she only comes to clean once a week." Jongin explained.

“And where do you get your food?” Kyungsoo asked. He had noticed Jongin’s kitchen. It surely had never been used.

“I have a private cook. He just doesn’t come here.”

"Why? Isn't it more complicated that way? To have the food delivered."

"Because I don't like having strangers in my house. And the cook only works for me. He just doesn't live here. "

"I see," replied Kyungsoo. Actually, he had the suspicion that Jongin wouldn't trust anyone. Even his security personnel only went into the house in case of emergency. In some regard, Jongin's paranoia was quite similar to his mothers.

"Why don't you eat?" Jongin asked as he noticed that the spoon was still empty.

"Well, I can't eat when I'm looked at," Kyungsoo answered honestly.

"Understandable," Jongin said. "Then I'll let you eat in peace."

Jongin went back to his office. He sat down on his chair and leaned back. The thought of Kyungsoo's sight as he tried to walk down the stairs appeared on his mind. He could see the pain on Kyungsoo's face. He shouldn't have been so harsh yesterday.

When he saw the LED lamp on his phone light up, he knew he had missed a call. Suho had tried to contact him. Quickly, he called back. Perhaps Suho had found out something about Woobin.

"What do you get?" He asked impatiently as someone picked up.

"Jongin?"

"Yes, you called me."

"Oh, yes, I just wanted to ask if you're sure I shouldn't pass by," Suho said.

"Yes, I am. Don't show up the next week either and until then you better get something about my brother." Jongin commanded and hung up without waiting for an answer.

To be honest, he liked Suho, but since he had entrusted Kyungsoo to the elder’s care, he began to like Suho ... less. He hated the imagination of Suho followed Kyungsoo's every step and nursed Kyungsoo. Yet, following and protecting was exactly the job Jongin had given to Suho. Jongin wondered, since when did he act so irrational? And why?

________________________

The rain had already stopped, and the moon had shone again in the night sky. The two men gasped as they dropped themselves on the soft bed.

"Don't you dare to forget tonight too," Baekhyun said breathlessly.

"I would never forget this," Chanyeol replied as he placed another kiss on his husband’s lips.

"I'm looking forward to our next fight." He added, laughing.

"Me too," Baekhyun lied. He doubted that there would be another fight.

Chanyeol's sight made his heart hammer even louder than it already did. That was the second he realized that the farewell on the tenth day would kill him, like the cigarette’s cold turkey three years ago.

"It's my own fault," he murmured, kissing Chanyeol while his hand found its way down Chanyeol's body.

"What are you doing?" Chanyeol asked in surprise. For such a small person, Baekhyun had greater stamina than expected.

"Enjoying my last cigarette," Baekhyun replied.

The remaining days flew by. Their fake honeymoon turned into a real one, in every respect. The next day, Chanyeol had even bought this bucket with tools for building sand castles. Oh God, how glad Baekhyun was that they had a private beach where no kids could give them strange looks for playing a children's game. Last day, when they returned, Baekhyun insisted on taking the toy bucket home.

Finally arrived, they both were so tired that they didn't even have the strength to look at their new home. Chanyeol had chosen the building, but he hadn't seen it equipped with furniture yet. After the shower, all they wanted was to sleep. It didn't take long until Chanyeol fell deeply asleep. Baekhyun gently kissed the beautiful man next to him and freed himself from his embrace.

"I hate myself," he thought as he got dressed and grabbed his bag.

When he was standing at the threshold, only one step away from leaving, his legs felt incredibly heavy, as if they couldn't move forward. He took a last look at the sleeping Chanyeol.

"Thanks for the memories," he mumbled quietly and forced himself to move on.

Two blocks down the road, he got into a taxi. Only when the driver asked him if everything was all right, did he notice the tears on his cheeks. He had to wake up. This dream had ended. _The prince wasn't his._

**And I'm leaving this here because... well just because *evil author mode activated***  
  
**I hope you still like this chapter despite Baekkie leaving. What do you think? And stay healthy everybody.  
**


	14. Unique

Chanyeol noticed the increasing pressure in his lungs as he held his breath. Trying not to move wasn't easy when he could feel Baekhyun's lips on his own. He knew it was Baekhyun's farewell... their last kiss.

"Goodbye, Chanyeol," whispered Baekhyun.

As the door slammed behind Baekhyun, Chanyeol gasped for air like a drowned man whose head was just above the water. Every muscle in his body signaled him to catch up with Baekhyun and hold on to the younger with all his might. Yet he had never been that type of man who listened to his heart. It has always been his rationality that ruled over him. He had promised not to hinder Baekhyun from leaving if it was Baekhyun's wish. He had to keep his word.

For fear of one single move might lead him to run after Baekhyun, Chanyeol froze. Just then he literally jumped up as someone rang the bell. The more motionless his body was before, the faster he sprinted to the front door now, hoping for the person on the other side to be Baekhyun who had returned.

Doubtlessly Chanyeol's disappointment was huge when he found his father behind the door.

"I have to discuss something with you before going to the office."

"Good morning to you too, father." Chanyeol greeted and stepped aside.

Mr. Park looked around as he entered the living room.

"Is Kyungsoo still sleeping?"

"He is ... going out," replied Chanyeol.

"It is convenient. I have a confidential job for you."

Mr. Park handed his son a sealed packet and continued.

"Please test these two DNA samples for relationship."

"What is it for? You have your own staff for such investigations."

"It's a delicate issue. It's about the Black Lotus. I just need someone I can trust unquestionably." Chanyeol understood the situation. When it comes to the three criminal organizations of the underworld, his father can behave very paranoidly.

"Black Lotus? Since when do you get involved in an investigation of the South? "

"The bastards do not just operate only in the South anymore. They have a deal with the White Snake. Apparently, these bastards work together."

"And whose DNAs are this? How did you get them? "

"Just examine them as soon as possible, please. You are the only one I can assign to this task. And act discreetly."

This answer did not satisfy Chanyeol, but he knew his father very well. Each tries to elicit something from him would be in vain.

"Fine, but it might take a while if no one should get wind of it."

"Do whatever is necessary and call me as soon as you get the result."

"Ok, I'll go to the lab right away." Chanyeol was happy about the extra task. Work is exactly what he needed now to take his mind off Baekhyun.

"Say hello to Kyungsoo for me. What's he doing outside so early? " Mr. Park stood up, ready to leave.

For a moment, Chanyeol hesitated. Just then he realized that a lie has no legs.

"He's gone," admitted Chanyeol.

"Where did he go?"

"He left ..." Before Chanyeol could finish his sentence, the doorbell rang once again in this hectic morning.

Chanyeol opened the front door and couldn't believe his eyes. There Baekhyun stood, within one's reach.

"Ah, sorry. I wanted to go for a walk and forgot my keys." Baekhyun explained with a shy smile. Confused but overjoyed, Chanyeol pulled Baekhyun in his arms. Only when he felt Baekhyun's warmth, he knew it wasn't a dream.

"Chanyeol, your dad is here," Baekhyun refer to Mr. Park.

"Nice to see you, Kyungsoo. You started your day very early." Mr. Park greeted.

"Good morning, Mr. Park. I couldn't sleep anymore. It must be jet lag. I wanted to go for a walk." Baekhyun replied.

"I see. Please let yourself be accompanied by bodyguards next time. It's dangerous for people in our positions to go out alone. I could not forgive myself if anything happened to you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I'll pay attention next time." To be honest, Baekhyun felt uncomfortable. The minister's words were friendly and caring. But his voice and the way he talked let his words sounded like a military command instead of a plea. His appearance on his own compressed the air in the room, giving Baekhyun that tense feeling as if he had broken something. Baekhyun's instincts warned him about saying something impetuous. Therefore, he was greatly relieved when Mr. Park finally left for work.

As soon as his "father-in-law" was gone, Baekhyun dropped his body onto the sofa and closed his eyes. Until now he was unaware about his sitting position during the whole conversation with Mr. Park. His back was straightened. His legs formed a perfect square angle. He sat like a grade schooler on his first day.

"Ah, not sure why but somehow your dad is exhausting, don't you think?"

The absence of Chanyeol's reply caused Baekhyun to open his eyes, just to find the older right in front of him. Chanyeol leaned forward and placed a kiss on Baekhyun's lips. A kiss that could perfectly define the word "passion". Chanyeol knew he hadn't misinterpreted the situation as Baekhyun left. But he decided not to talk about it. To him, the only thing that mattered was the fact that Baekhyun changed his mind and came back to him. He couldn't explain how Baekhyun managed to make him fall in such a short time. But he understood that the warm feeling he felt in Baekhyun's presence is love.

It didn't require Baekhyun efforts to notice Chanyeol's atypical behavior. Did Chanyeol find out the true reason for his disappearance? In retrospect, it might have been reckless to make the decision to stay in such a hurry.

It all started when Baekhyun noticed he forgot his bracelet in the bathroom. It was just an old wristband that wasn't expensive at all. It was simply a handmade trinket that a little boy created for his beloved mother. Since his mom went missing, Baekhyun had never stopped believing that one day he'd see her again. Baekhyun hadn't said it out loud but deep inside this bracelet symbolized his hope. Therefore, it wasn't an option to leave behind the last gift he made for his mother. And therefore, he returned.

As Baekhyun saw a car in front of the house, he took the back door. The plan was to take advantage of Chanyeol being distracted by his father and to use the balcony of the bedroom to get into the bathroom. However, Baekhyun couldn't overhear the conversation between the others. Knowing Chanyeol's father investigated his father, Baekhyun had to make a decision. To run away and somehow explain the situation to his father? Or to stay here and protect his father's business, his only inheritance, and thus to prove his quality as a leader? The decision had to be made in seconds. And it had to be made regardless of his feelings. But Baekhyun knew immediately she would be lying, saying that Chanyeol hadn't influenced his decision in any way.

In the meantime, Mr. Park arrived at his office.

"Are you really sure to have Chanyeol examine the samples? One of them, after all, is from his husband?" His secretary asked.

"Chanyeol has always been a stubborn child. He and his scientist being wouldn't believe anything they didn't see by their own eyes." Mr. Park explained.

"But what will you do if the test is negative?"

This question had been causing Mr. Park headaches for days. The second DNA sample belonged to the wife of his best friend, the billionaire Do Kunhee.

What would he do if the DNAs proved that the man who had been married to his son for several weeks was not Mrs. Do's child? Ever since his first meeting with Baekhyun, Mr. Park has suspected that Baekhyun wasn't the real Do Kyungsoo. Even though Mr. Park hoped his paranoia was playing on him, he has always been the type of person who listened to his instincts. And they were shouting that something was off about the alleged Do Kyungsoo.

What would he do?

_____________________________________________________________________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N] Oh since this chapter is boring af, I'll update the next one soon.


	15. Notes

"Baekhyun, the food will get cold, if you keep looking out the window," Dr. Song warned.

"Baekhyun?"

Dr. Song's gentle touch on his shoulder brought Kyungsoo back to earth. It had been weeks since he became "Byun Baekhyun." Still, he couldn’t get used to that name.

"You look pale. Are you in pain again?" The doctor asked.

"No, my leg is fine. I'm just a little tired." Kyungsoo replied. Lately, he couldn’t sleep. Yet, it was not the pain that kept him awake. It was Jongin's incomprehensible behavior that made him ponder. He thought he had seen Jongin's gentleness for a moment. However, it seemed he was wrong. Jongin's concern, even if it lasted briefly, was perhaps just Kyungsoo's imagination. Since Kyungsoo's injury, Jongin was barely home. He went to work when Kyungsoo was still asleep and came home when Kyungsoo already went to bed. Even the weekend was no exception.

"How did you sleep recently? I can give you something to fall asleep." Dr. Song suggested.

"No, thank you." Dr. Song has been taking care of him since the accident at Jongin's request. She was a nice person with great humor. Kyungsoo liked spending time with her. But she wasn’t Jongin. Kyungsoo noticed how Jongin was avoiding him. He just didn’t understand why the gang leader would do that.

Jongin had been looking blankly at the statistics on his monitor for almost half an hour. Lately, his concentration declined sharply, and he worked just half as productive as usual, though he stayed in the office much longer. The dream last week was still bothering him. Such a dream ... about a man ... that scared him. Kyungsoo scared him. Since then he tried his best to avoid the other man. Out of sight, out of mind, right? But it didn’t seem to work. The more distraction Jongin tried to get, the more often Kyungsoo appears on his mind.

And so, the phone call Jongin got a few minutes ago only exacerbates the unpleasant pressure in Jongin's lungs, making it difficult for him to breathe. Dr. Song called to tell him that she must leave earlier today. That wouldn’t bother him if it didn’t mean he had to take care of Kyungsoo for the rest of the day.

Reluctantly Jongin drove home right after work. As soon as he opened the front door, he noticed the delicious scent of freshly cooked food. This gave Jongin an unusual and indescribable feeling. Not that he never ate self-cooked foods, but the foods were never cooked in this house. The expensive kitchen, which had hardly any blemish, wasn’t in perfect condition, because it was treated with care, but because it was never used. This kitchen - even if it was fully functional - was nothing more than a showcase piece, like those samples at IKEA. That was ... until today.

"Welcome home, I hope you are hungry," Kyungsoo greeted with a smile.

"What's this?"

"Usually you don’t get to come home so early, so I thought I'd cook something for us."

Jongin looked at the food. One glance and he could tell how much efforts Kyungsoo had put into this. Even the table was set.

“You prepared this?”

"I know I can’t compare myself with your personal chef, but I thought you might like some home-made foods. What I mean is that the cooking of a five-star chef might make you feel like you’re dinging out every day ... So maybe you want a change? "

Jongin didn’t even try hard to notice Kyungsoo's awkwardness. He could close his eyes and miss all the hand gestures that Kyungsoo was making, he could still tell how nervous the other one was. Spreading and recognizing fear was his daily business after all.

"Why were you cooking instead of resting?"

"Dr. Song said a bit of exercise would be good. And it didn’t take long to cook anyway." Kyungsoo answered.

"Oh," Kyungsoo replied, mouth wide open as something came to his mind. "Did you eat already?"

Kyungsoo said, lowering his head. Jongin tried not to laugh. Kyungsoo was wearing the same expression of disappointment as a child who got to go to the supermarket but couldn’t get any sweets. Jongin's eyes moved to Kyungsoo's injured leg. Then, he pulled the chair off the table like a gentleman on the first date.

"Sit down. Let’s eat," said Jongin and a broad smile appeared on Kyungsoo's face.

How could he refuse the food that an injured person prepared for him? In addition, Kyungsoo was hurt because of him.

Kyungsoo tensed, waiting for Jongin’s reaction as the tall man tried the first bite.

"Do you like it?"

Jongin was unaware of how to answer this question. Compliments were never his strength. But that was not the reason. He was speechless. An unaccustomed feeling of happiness overwhelmed his body as fuzzy memories were awakened in his memory. The last time he expected home-cooked food was when his parents were still living together. And that was a long time ago.

"So bad?" Kyungsoo asked impatiently.

Jongin shook his head and confessed. "No, it's very good."

That was a weight off Kyungsoo’s mind. The following dinner was quiet and relaxed. Jongin wasn’t talkative. It was mainly Kyungsoo who talked the whole time to avoid the awkward silence. And he succeeded. Jongin was even interested in his stories.

Even though he didn’t say a word, Jongin was relieved as well. He enjoyed Kyungsoo's company while hours ago, only thinking of spending time with Kyungsoo could cause him a stomach ache.

"Leave the dishes. It's late already. Tomorrow someone will come and take care of them." Jongin said as Kyungsoo started cleaning up.

"What? Leave the leftover overnight? This is going to be a mess. We can’t do that," Kyungsoo answered and picked up the plate again. Just then he felt Jongin's grip on his wrist.

"I told you to let it be." Jongin raised his voice, being a creature of habit.

"It won’t take long." Kyungsoo pulled his arm, trying to free himself… unsuccessfully. Since Jongin didn’t let go, expecting Kyungsoo to back off. Yet, Kyungsoo determined glances showed him the opposite.

Jongin sighed after a short thought and suggested.

"Ok, I'll clean up and you'll go to sleep."

How did he get himself into someone so stubborn? Someone who was unaware or stupid enough not to be afraid of him.

"Let me help you. I'm not tired anyway." Kyungsoo insisted, so Jongin could only give in.

"All right," said Jongin, finally releasing Kyungsoo’s wrist.

…

"Jongin"

"Yeah?"

"Tomorrow, can we have dinner together again?" Kyungsoo ventured to ask after a moment of silence.

"I have a lot of work to do tomorrow. I’d come home very late. "

"Is there nothing you can do? I don’t like to eat alone. "

"Alone? Dr. Song is taking care of you, isn’t she? "

"Yes, yes. She is very nice but eating with her ... is like eating with my teacher."

Jongin laughed at Kyungsoo's comparison.

"She is indeed very serious." He replied.

"Exactly," Kyungsoo called loudly in approval.

"So? Will you come home earlier?" Kyungsoo took his chance when Jongin was still in a good mood.

"I can’t," sighed Jongin.

"Then… will you at least let Suho hyung come back? I like to eat with him."

"Suho is taking care of a few things for me right now. He has no time." Jongin refused without thinking twice.

"Still, he got to eat something, too."

"Why does it have to be Suho?"

"It doesn’t have to be Suho Hyung. He's just my only friend here. Otherwise, I only know Woobin, your brother. "

"You want to have dinner with Woobin?" Jongin asked angrily.

"No,” Kyungsoo exclaimed. “I want to eat with you, but it seems like you don’t want to."

"It's not that I don’t want to." Jongin wanted to say but he fell silent.

Kyungsoo waited for a reply. Yet Jongin couldn’t bring himself to answer.

"I'm going to bed," Kyungsoo added, leaving Jongin behind.

Jongin took the last sip of his wine and finally gave up.

"Alright, I’ll see what I can do tomorrow. I promise nothing though."

As if on cue, a smile appeared on Kyungsoo's face. A smile which he wouldn’t show Jongin.

The next day, Jongin came home punctually, where warm and home-cooked foods were already waiting for him. The two young men spent another day together ... and then another ... and another, until dinning together became routine for both. No matter how often Jongin denied that this "ordinary life" pleased him, the truth was he looked forward home time every day. Was it because of the foods or because of Kyungsoo, who knew?

Before Jongin used to work longer, have the food delivered to the office and then walk through bars and clubs. That used to be his everyday schedule. However, now he had more fun spending the evening at home. Jongin even began to talk about the day. More than that, it has become a habit to watch TV together after dinner. At first, they only watched sports because of Jongin. Yet, at some point, they started to watch Kyungsoo’s favorite shows.

Tonight was no exception. The two spent the evening relaxing on the couch and it was Kyungsoo's turn to choose the program. It was an evening like any other ... with a tiny abnormity. Kyungsoo fell asleep in the middle of the movie. Jongin had already noticed something unusual at dinner. Kyungsoo looked pale and had barely eaten. The smaller one was absent from their conversation, which was very unusual for Kyungsoo because even Jongin had noticed what a great listener Kyungsoo was. Maybe Kyungsoo was even too good for Jongin's taste since it kind of scared him how carefully Kyungsoo listened to everything he said. Kyungsoo took note of every trifle and didn’t forget anything, no matter how insignificant a detail seemed to be.

The moment Jongin tuned off the movie and covered the smaller boy with a blanket, his phone vibrated. He looked at the display.

"I'm free tonight. Same hotel? "

Within a second Jongin recognized the unsaved number.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are this chapter and its fluff too cliche? What do you think?  
> Please leave a comment and an upvote. *sending hugs*


	16. ♡ One step away

"I'm free tonight. Same hotel?"

"Is it from a woman?" Kyungsoo asked when he saw the message on display.

"Of course, it's from a woman," Jongin answered with a hint of irritation. Why should he get such a message from a man? Why could Kyungsoo even consider that this message could be from a man?

"Are you going?"

"Can you stay home alone for a while?" For a short moment, he thought of calling Suho to come over. Yet for some reasons, he erased this idea.

"That's not what this is about," Kyungsoo replied.

"Then what is it about?" Jongin asked but feared to know the answer to his own question.

"Will you continue seeing others?"

Jongin was right. He knew this conversation was overdue. Still, he had hoped to delay it as long as possible.

"Do you expect me not to?"

To counter a question with a counter question, an ever-working strategy which Kyungsoo immediately noticed. But the smaller male could play this game as well.

"And what would you think about me dating other men? Because last time a man kissed me, you broke my leg. Remember?" Kyungsoo got right to the point.

"Is that what you’re expecting me to do? That we would love each other? Like… for real?"

"What if I do?" That was the moment Kyungsoo noticed he went way overboard. He should silent urgently. He knew that. Yet, he couldn’t help it. He was fired up for Jongin’s response.

"I'm not gay, Baekhyun. For God’s sake." Jongin literally screamed as if he wanted the world to hear. "Do you expect me to never have sex again?"

"Because you and I, that will never happen. Do you hear me?" Jongin lowered this voice after a short pause.

"I got it." Kyungsoo replied, looking straight at Jongin as a certification. Jongin escaped from his house right away as he couldn’t bear seeing that sad expression on the younger’s face.

Arrived at the hotel, Jongin couldn’t forget the argument. For some reason, he had forgotten how much he hated that Byun Baekhyun person at the beginning. When did he start to care so much about that boy’s feelings? He had never given a damn about others. He shouldn’t start doing it now. Empathy was poison for business. Because that's so ... human.

"What's wrong with you today?" A female voice disturbed his thoughts.

"What do you mean?" Jongin sighed.

"You are not… into it," the young woman said as she lifted her head from between his legs.

"Got someone you like?" This question annoyed Jongin. Why did everybody want to talk about feeling today?

"What bullshit are you talking about?"

"Well, your little man doesn’t want to wake up. That’s never happened before, " she chuckled.

"Then maybe you’re not trying hard enough."

“Oh honey, I’m not the one who’s not hard enough,” she said, mocking.

“Be careful,” Jongin warned, grabbing her by her neck.

“Calm down. I just meant I can’t do anything if it’s not me you want to f*ck." The woman explained through her breaths.

She might be right, but that was something Jongin would never admit. Nevertheless, it was a clear sign when you're thinking about the fight with your fake husband while a porn star was lying in your bed.

"Where are you going?" She asked as Jongin let go and got dressed.

"Home,” Jongin stated before leaving.

Ever since the first day, Kyungsoo had already thought that Jongin's living room was way too large, even for such a residence. But as he waited for the elders, the room even seemed to expand. He should be familiar with being home by himself. Yet the last weeks he hadn’t spent one minute alone. Kyungsoo had almost forgotten how much he hated to be alone.

When Jongin was finally home, Kyungsoo wanted to ask so many things.

"Where have you been?"

"Whom did you meet?"

"Did you sleep with her?"

But he fell silent. He felt Jongin's staring behind his back.

"Do you want to say something?"

"Do you want to apologize?"

"Do you even feel guilty?"

Second by second, the silence became unbearable.

"Can you help me stand up?" And Kyungsoo broke it.

Jongin didn’t say a word. Yet he approached Kyungsoo to help. Close up, he noticed Kyungsoo's red nose. Did Kyungsoo cry? Or maybe it was just an allergy? If he cried, his eyes would be red too. Lost in his thoughts, Jongin didn’t realize how close they came. Their eyes couldn’t escape each other. Their breath was synchronized. Finally, their lips touched. Kyungsoo's warmth and the bittersweet taste of Chardonnay – Kyungsoo’s favorite wine. Jongin needed more of it.

\---------------------------

Chanyeol put down the test tube with a grin as someone knocked on his lab. He had been looking forward to it all day.

"Channie, are you ready?" Chanyeol smiled even wider when he heard Baekhyun's voice.

"God, I love men in white coats," Baekhyun added. "You look so sexy."

"What’s sexy about this? It's nerdish." Chanyeol blushed.

"I love nerds," Baekhyun said.

"You're really strange, you know that?"

"I’m not strange. I’m a limited edition." Baekhyun joked, looking around. Did all doctorands at an elite university get such a large and modern laboratory? Or was that the privilege of a minister’s son?

"Is this all researches for your dissertation?" The smaller male joked.

"Yes, everything except for this DNA analysis. I’m doing my dad a favor."

That sounded suspicious to Baekhyun. Why did the minister ask his son to do the test when he surely had professional staffs for that? Did it concern the investigation against his father?

“Your father? Is it for an important investigation?” Baekhyun tried to get more information from Chanyeol.

“I don’t think so. It seems personal to me. Maybe he is doing a friend a favor.”

“But isn’t it weird to ask you do the test? I mean instead of his experts.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking too. He doesn’t ask me things like this very often as well.” Chanyeol said.

“What kind of analysis did you do? Is it like some CSI stuff?” Baekhyun hid his tension with a clumsy joke and Chanyeol giggled in embarrassment.

“No, it wasn’t that interesting. I just checked if two people are related or not.” Chanyeol answered.

“That depends on whose DNA you just tested, don’t you think. Maybe it’s someone famous.”

“Do you know whom the DNA samples belong to?” Baekhyun asked with curiosity.

“No, my father didn’t tell me. He’s making a secret of it.”

“I see. So, chemists also study DNAs? I've never been good at science, but I thought that's what biologists do." Baekhyun’s interrogation came to an end. That really sounded more like a friend of Chanyeol’s father was doubting his wife and wanted evidence. The whole thing might get nothing to do with the investigation against his family at all.

"You're right. I only did it because I got my second degree in forensics." Chanyeol explained. Once again there was something Baekhyun didn’t know about the taller male. Baekhyun knew that shouldn’t bother him since he clearly had more secrets than Chanyeol. Still, he had to admit that the more he knew about Chanyeol, the more he admired that person he'd accidentally married.

"You're doing your Ph.D. in chemistry while you already got a degree in forensics? That's ... very impressive." Baekhyun had always have a weakness for smart men, but Chanyeol was out of his league.

"Is everything ok?" Chanyeol asked, noticing changes in Baekhyun’s voice.

"Yes ... I just feel so stupid. Compared to you."

"That’s ridiculous. You can do so many things I can’t." Chanyeol said, hugging Baekhyun from behind.

"Something you can’t do? If you only knew," Baekhyun thought. "Stealing cars and cracking locks, for example."

Baekhyun remembers the letter he hid so carefully in his bag. An invitation to the welcome event for new students. But this invitation wasn’t an ordinary sample letter that the university would send to every newcomer. This one was printed on fine, patterned paper. Almost like a wedding invitation. It was a personalized invitation addressed to Do Kyungsoo, signed by the faculty director of the Psychology Department and the University President. Do Kyungsoo was, according to the invitation, one of the most promising new students of the year. Baekhyun took a breath, trying to remember the young, almost childish person he’d met at the airport. Did that young man seem like a smart person? Baekhyun could no longer remember the casual acquaintance. And yet he clearly felt jealous of this stranger. If Do Kyungsoo was really that smart, wouldn’t he be the perfect partner for Chanyeol? They would certainly understand each other well. That Do Kyungsoo would have made a great husband for Chanyeol.

"I love you the way you are, do you hear me?" Chanyeol stated sincerely.

"I love you too," Baekhyun turned around and replied with a kiss, feeling Chanyeol's warm embrace.

"Shall we go home now?" Chanyeol suggested.

"Did you finish your work?"

"Mostly. And father wants to stop by today. We should be home when he comes. I don’t want him alone in our house. "

"Are you being polite, or do you not want him snooping in our stuff?"

"The second," Chanyeol confessed and a smile appeared on Baekhyun’s face.

The newlywed couple felt great relief as they drove into the driveway, finding no other car. However, even before they could express their relief, Chanyeol's phone rang and his father's number appeared on the screen.

"Do you have the result?"

"Yes. Are you telling me whom the DNA samples belong to? "

"Are they related?" Mr. Park again asked for an answer.

"Yes, definitely mother and child."

"Are you 100% sure?" Chanyeol could hear his father’s skepticism through the phone.

"Well, the accuracy of the test is 99.99 %. Is that enough for you?"

"Yes, that's fine."

"Why are you calling me at this time, are you not coming over?"

"I will be at your place soon. And tell Kyungsoo, I have a surprise for him. "

"He said he had a surprise for you," Chanyeol relayed the message as his father hung up.

"Again? Seriously? I’m not really into his surprises." Baekhyun sighed.

"Welcome to the family," Chanyeol joked.

Meanwhile, Mr. Park just got out of his car, which was parked at a private airfield.

"A 99.99% chance of maternity? Then this was probably superfluous. It's been a long time since I was wrong. But a second confirmation is even better." The Minister soliloquized as he looked at a private jet was landing.

The small plane landed, and only one person walked down the stairs.

"Welcome back in Korea," greeted Minister Park.

\-------------------------

Baekhyun noticed himself getting more and more anxious every minute. His fingers unconsciously played with the bracelet on his left wrist.

"What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?" Chanyeol asked, laying his hand on Baekhyun's forehead.

"I'm fine. I just have a strange feeling." Baekhyun always trusted his instincts, even though in the past, for some reasons certain alarms weren’t always obvious. Last time he ignored his instincts, he ended up here, being married to a stranger. That was a mistake he wouldn’t repeat. Baekhyun grabbed his jacket and headed to the door.

"I'm going for a walk.”

"But it's freezing cold outside." Chanyeol stopped the smaller male.

"Channie, I have to get out of here. I feel like something bad is going to happen if I stay here," Baekhyun explained, continued walking. Just the second he finished the sentence; the bell already rang.

"Fuck," Baekhyun cursed out of reflex.

Chanyeol hurried forward and pulled Baekhyun behind him before he opened the door for his father.

"Kyungsoo, you don’t want to go out just now, do you?" Mr. Do asked, but his tone clearly meant “You’re staying home”.

"No, we just arrived. Kyungsoo has not changed yet. Come in." Chanyeol delivered an excuse instantly.

Despite the invitation, Mr. Park didn’t step forward but to the side, making room for someone else. Only then did Baekhyun noticed the person behind the half-opened door.

"Kyungsoo, guess who's here," said Mr. Park without expecting an answer.

Stepping out of the dark, a woman appeared. She seemed to be in her forties. Her age was hard to tell due to her dyed hair and sunglasses. She was well dressed. Though it was simply a classic black dress under a trench coat, she still got that presence of a lady. Even wearing sunglasses in the evening couldn’t make her look stupid but mysterious. It made people want to hear her story. Baekhyun wondered if she were a celebrity.

When she finally took off her sunglasses, Mr. Park announced.

"Your mother is here."

Baekhyun froze to a stature, his eyes wide open. Kyungsoo’s mother wasn’t less surprised. She stared at the boy, who tried to hide behind her son-in-law. So, confused that she didn’t cause a sound. Chanyeol's father didn’t miss a second of the mother-child reunion which he had arranged. Now it was about time for the final.

"Come, Kyungsoo, greet your mother already," he addressed "Kyungsoo" by his name, pulling Chanyeol aside to take away Baekhyun's last protection.

Tears now covered Baekhyun's cheeks. Chanyeol could see how much the small male was shaking. Baekhyun was right, something very strange was happening here. His heart broke into pieces, seeing Baekhyun in tears. Baekhyun opened his mouth, tried to say something but failed.

"Kyungsoo?" Mrs. Do asked in astonishment as she approached Baekhyun. "You…"

Even the minister held his breath. This was the moment he had been waiting for. Was Baekhyun the person he claimed to be? The truth would be revealed now.

"My baby." Mrs. Do almost shouted out as she pulled Baekhyun in her arms. Sobbed, Baekhyun only managed to say one single word.

"Mom".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think is going on?  
> And I totally ruined Kaisoo's first kiss, didn't I?


	17. ♡ Family (Part 1)

Baekhyun worried his mind was playing him a game. Because his eyes believed to see the woman who had left him 20 years ago. The woman he had been looking for 20 years. Without success. But there she stood. Right in front of him. His Mother.

How many times had he painted their reunion in his mind? He had considered every eventuality, playing every scene in his head like a movie. An encounter in a cafe, maybe at Starbucks. The barista would call her name and when Baekhyun turned around, he would recognize her. Or they would come across each other, maybe while shopping or just at a traffic light. He knew he would recognize her walking by.

Yet his favorite imaginations were those where his mother returned to him. At every turning point in his life, he hoped to see his mother again. For on such days, parents should be with their children, right? On his last day at elementary school, he was sure his mother would show up any moment and give him a hug. The young Baekhyun insisted on waiting for his mother until the janitor sent him home to lock the front door. As his middle school graduation came, he had not given up. Even though he hadn’t waited until evening, he was still the last to leave the school. By the time he graduated from high school, his hope had already disappeared. Still, every time the door opened, his heart jumped and each time it bled a bit more.

Disappointments over disappointments hardened his heart over the years. One would think Baekhyun had learned from his mistakes. Even so, he kept a tiny hope as his wedding was planned. A tiny hope that his mother would be among the guests this time. Because the wedding day was what they called the most beautiful day in a person's life, wasn’t it? Which kind of mother would miss her child’s wedding?

To this day, he wondered if he would have seen her again if he hadn’t run away. But never would he have thought he was right. This wedding, even if it was the wrong one, brought his mother back.

"Mom?" No matter how many times he fantasized about their reunion, such an absurd situation would never have crossed his mind. He was not prepared for that. What do you say in such a situation?

"Hello, mom, long time no see? Where have you been? Incidentally, I'm married to the man who was meant for your other child I didn’t know about? Oh, and are you staying for dinner?" He couldn’t say that, could he?

"My baby," Mrs. Do called as she burst into tears and hugged her son. At the same time, she heard fleetingly as Mr. Park and Chanyeol took their leaves to give Baekhyun and her some space. That was very convenient for her, because no matter how glad she was to see her first-born again. Where the hell was her other son?

"Let's go in," she suggested, and Baekhyun nodded.

After Baekhyun offered her something to drink, they both fell silent. There was so much to tell and so much to explain. But. Where do you start?

"Baekhyunie, I'm so sorry," Mrs. Do apologized when she finally found the courage. The silence broke, as did Baekhyun's self-control.

"I was looking for you. For years. I traveled to London. I slept on the street after I ran out of money.”

"I'm so sorry, darling."

"No, no, no, we are not at the part you should be sorry for. Do you know what father did? He broke 3 of my ribs for going overseas. Do you think your apology makes this all undone?" Baekhyun almost cried.

"I know you won’t believe me when I say I had no choice. But please believe me when I say that I am really sorry.”

"I've always wondered why you left us. Now I know it. Finally."

"Darling, let me explain it. It's not what you think.”

"But I think I do." Baekhyun turned away from his mother. “You did it for him, didn’t you?"

"No, I didn’t leave you for my new husband. I would never ...” Baekhyun’s mother tried to explain. It hurt her knowing her son thought of her as a selfish person. But maybe he was right.

"I meant Kyungsoo. You left us because you were pregnant with my half-brother, right?" Baekhyun interrupted his mom.

"How do you know…?"

"I can calculate, mom."

"Honey, your dad would have killed the baby. I couldn’t let that happen.”

Baekhyun didn’t reply. Instead, he took a deep breath before talking.

"That's what he would do."

"I should have come back to you. I would have…"

"Why? Either way, you’d have left a child. There was no reason for choosing the child with an abusive father. Because it seems Kyungsoo's dad treats you very well.” Mrs. Do could say Baekhyun was fighting against the tears, even though she didn’t see his face.

"You knew about it?" Mrs. Do placed her fingers on her lips, trying to suppress her sobbing.

"I’d heard you two fighting. But things were clear when he started beating me too. It didn’t take long after you left.”

At that moment, Mrs. Do could no longer suppress her crying.

"That should never happen. What did I think? I should have taken you with me.” She said.

"No, you couldn’t. If you took away his heir, he might never stop looking for you. For us.”

“And it's okay. At some point, I learned to defend myself.” The boy added.

"Baekhyunie, never say ‘it's ok’ when someone hurts you. Did you hear me? "Mrs. Do grabbed Baekhyun by the shoulders, turning him towards her so that he could see that she was serious.

“It took me a long time to realize that myself. But you should never go through the same thing. Do you understand me? No matter who or why, you must never think that it is okay for someone to raise a hand against you.”

"I understand, mom," Baekhyun answered while staring at his mother.

"What is it, honey?"

"Did you give Kyungsoo the same advice?" Baekhyun replied. “I guess he doesn’t need such lessons, right? He seems like a well-guarded child to me. Like someone who was just lucky in life.”

"Why would you say that?"

"I just realized that he was very lucky. Before he was born, you made a decision to protect him. He grows up - I suppose - in a loving home. His father is one of the richest men in the world. And he marries a clever and gentle man. At least he was supposed to marry Chanyeol. I would be lying if I said I was not jealous.”

"Baekhyun, where is Kyungsoo?" Mrs. Do's voice deepened with seriousness.

"Do you think I did something to him?" Baekhyun asked, surprisingly, after a few seconds, as he realized what his mother might think of him.

"No, of course not. I'm just confused. I came here believing I would see Kyungsoo, but instead I meet you. I’m overjoyed to see you again. But I’m confused. Why does the Park family think you are Kyungsoo? I have so many questions."

Mrs. Do paused to catch her breath.

"Baekhyun, where is Kyungsoo?"

"I didn’t do anything to him if that's what you wanted to know," Baekhyun responded.

It hurt to see how much his mother worried about her golden boy. He knew that should be understandable. A mother worried about her child. Nevertheless, he felt envy. As he told his mother everything, he wondered where this Do Kyungsoo was. That lucky bastard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh look, one of the rare chapters that don't end with a cliffhanger.


	18. ♡ Family (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a such a mini chapter, it's more like a teaser hahaha.  
> If you want, wait for the next chapter before reading this one.   
> I'll update the last past tomorrow.

Jongin enjoyed the feeling of Kyungsoo's soft lips against his. He enjoyed the bittersweet taste that the wine left on Kyungsoo's lips. As he put his hand on Kyungsoo's neck, he realized the feeling of Kyungsoo's bare skin was better than the best drug he'd ever tried. In contrast to the situation at the hotel, Jongin reacted immediately. With his whole body. When he noticed, Jongin startled. “What is happening?"

"Jongin" Kyungsoo grabbed the taller man by his hand, only to make the taller man push him away. The slightest skin contact could make things worse for him and Jongin knew that.

"Don’t touch me," Jongin demanded. Maybe he was too crude. Maybe he didn’t know what he was doing. But there was no time to think.

"Please let’s talk about it," pleaded Kyungsoo.

"No, just stay away from me. You disgust me." And with that Jongin left the smaller male. Jongin closed the door behind him with a bang. The lantern in the garden threw a faint light on the mirror that hung opposite the door. Despite the dominance of the darkness, Jongin saw his shameful reflection. Out of breath, confused and excited. Like a schoolboy who discovered the Playboy for the first time. On the day he tied the knot with Kyungsoo, he didn’t think such a harmless-looking man could have that effect on him.

Kyungsoo didn’t plan to attack Jongin directly. But after a few glasses of wine, he couldn’t think very logically. He didn’t need a married life with the gangster boss. All he needed was a date. Just a date on which they were alone. An opportunity to disappear without getting Suho or any other person in trouble for losing him. Jongin only needed to fall for him. Just a little bit. Just for a moment.

But Kyungsoo had not considered one thing. Once you try to seduce someone, chances were that you might fall for your target as well.

A few days later, Kyungsoo called Suho and asked for a second chance to leave Seoul because the original plan no longer seemed feasible. Kyungsoo had been trying to talk to Jongin for days, but Jongin avoided him and ignored his calls.

It was almost 11 pm. Kyungsoo looked at his watch and sighed. He had hoped that Jongin would come home today. Today, on New Year's Eve. Therefore, the disappointment was great when the doorbell rang and Woobin was standing at the door instead of Jongin.

"How is my favorite brother-in-law?" Woobin asked.

"What are you doing here, Woobin?"

"What am I doing here, you ask? It is New Year's Eve. You should not be alone today.” The older boy said, emphasizing every word.

"How did you know that I'm alone?" Kyungsoo asked.

"Oh please. I know my brother. And he said you had a fight. I figured out he would hide in his office today.” Woobin explained.

"He told you about our fight?" Kyungsoo questioned Woobin’s statement. It didn’t sound like Jongin to talk to his brother about things like that, considering the fact that they were like dogs and cats.

"Well, not exactly, but he hinted that."

"Oh, I see. Come in, it's cold outside.” Kyungsoo invited Woobin in.

"No, no, we’ll go out. It's New Year's Eve.”

\---

Kyungsoo got into Woobin's car, still trying to figure out how Woobin could persuade him. He wasn’t in the mood to hang out after all. Behind them, two of Jongin's men were in another car that tracked Kyungsoo on each step.

"Are you wearing a seatbelt?" Woobin asked as he looked at his passenger.

"Yes," replied Kyungsoo.

"Well then hold on tight," Woobin warned with joy before stepping on the gas.

Kyungsoo was shocked as the speed pushed him against the seat. The screaming engine only increased his nervousness. His “bodyguards” in the other car honk and try to stay tuned to him. But Woobin's sports car didn’t give them a chance. Woobin shook them off just in a few minutes.

"There you are. We're rid of them.”

The elder was happy like a kid who just won Mario Kart.

"What do you want to do, now that you are free of watchers, Baekhyun?" Kyungsoo froze at the question. Was it a test? Should he ask Woobin for help? Could he trust Woobin? This might be his only chance to leave this place. His only chance to leave Jongin.


	19. ♡ Family (Part 3)

"What do you want to do, now that you are free of watchers, Baekhyun?" Kyungsoo froze at the question. Was it a test? Should he ask Woobin for help? Could he trust Woobin? This might be his only chance to leave this place. His only chance to leave Jongin.

This could be his last opportunity to leave this place. But his instinct warned him about Woobin. Something told him that Woobin wasn’t one to trust.

"I can’t think of anything spontaneously. You can decide." Kyungsoo answered.

Woobin nodded and drove to the Seoul Tower. Despite the time, they both could still enter the building thanks to Woobin's contact and they watch the fireworks from there. They drank champagne to the new year. Woobin was so exceptionally charming, for a moment Kyungsoo forgot that this man next to him was one of Korea's most dangerous men.

As they headed back to their car, Kyungsoo felt dizzy. With every step, it became harder to move his legs. Right before the car, Kyungsoo lost consciousness. Woobin, however, easily managed to catch Kyungsoo before the younger fell to the ground. Putting Kyungsoo in the car, Woobin drove to a hotel where he had already booked a room.

Woobin laid Kyungsoo, still sleeping, carefully on the bed. He stroked Kyungsoo's hair and thought of how different he had imagined Byun Baekhyun to be. Woobin hadn’t expected Baekhyun to be the way he was.

"I'm sorry for getting you into this."

Woobin whispered before unbuttoning Kyungsoo's shirt. Next, he took a photo of the younger.

"It was surprisingly easy to drug him. Didn’t you warn him about me? "

Woobin sent the message with the picture he just took to Jongin and within seconds a call from his half-brother came in.

"Hello, brother, you are disturbing right now. I'm busy." Woobin provoked.

"You sick psycho, don’t you dare to lay a finger on him." Jongin threatened over the phone. Woobin could hear the anger in his brother’s voice clearly.

"You sound worried for someone who doesn’t care about Baekhyun. Don’t worry, I'll let him go back to you… When I’m done. " Woobin teased even more.

"I'll kill you with my own hands."

"If you’re so worried, then you should come here." Woobin challenged his brother.

"Where are you, you fucker?"

"True… so I would hurry if I were you. For Baekhyun’s sake." Woobin added and hung up.

Kyungsoo woke up with a pounding headache. Like someone just smashed his head.

"What happened?" Kyungsoo asked as he struggled to sit up.

"You probably drank a little too much. You fell asleep on the way back. Don’t you remember?" Woobin lied.

"No, somehow I can’t remember anything."

"Here, drink some water. You'll feel better." Woobin handed Kyungsoo a cup of water.

"Where's my shirt?" Kyungsoo blushed as he noticed himself being half naked.

"You vomited. I had to take off your shirt."

"Really? How embarrassing. I am so sorry." Kyungsoo asked in distrust.

"Don’t worry. The hotel staff got a new shirt for you. It's on the chair." Woobin pointed to a grocery bag.

"Thanks ... Woobin, I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but why are we in a hotel?" Kyungsoo asked confused.

"We are waiting," Woobin smirked.

"Waiting? For what?"

"For whom,” Woobin corrected. “A certain person who is not aware of his feelings."

"I don’t understand what you're talking about." Kyungsoo played dumb even though he knew very well whom Woobin was talking about.

"Do you remember what I told you last time?"

"What do you mean?"

"I told you, jealousy is the best way to win a man’s heart. Men like Jongin are alpha leaders. They feel a strong need to protect their territory and all it includes. But there is something that is even stronger than the need to dominate everything." Kyungsoo listened attentively to the older and wondered at Woobin's excellent knowledge of human nature.

"And what is that?"

"His protector’s instinct," Woobin answered.

"What have you done?" Kyungsoo assumed the worst to happen. As soon as he asked his question, Jongin stormed into the room. Jongin's eyes were like fire and his upper body leaned forward. His hands formed fists. He was ready to strike.

"That was fast. I’m impressed" Woobin commented.

"You bastard," Jongin exclaimed.

"You found us sooner than I thought, brother. Worried much? "Woobin joked.

"What's going on?" Kyungsoo asked in confusion.

"You know, I told Jongin you were in danger and look how fast he came to protect you," Woobin explained.

"I'll kill you," Jongin rushed to Woobin and grabbed him by the neck.

"Calm down, little brother. I didn’t do anything to him." Woobin gasped.

"And why is he half naked?" Jongin squeezed tighter, yet Woobin only smirked. It was quite a fight, but Woobin made it to free himself.

Realizing the tension, Kyungsoo tried to stop the Kim brothers. However, as soon as he stood up, his head began to spin again, and he lost his balance. Having no control about his body, he knew he was going to hit the floor in seconds. What he didn’t expect was Jongin who rushed like a flash to catch him.

"What did you do to him?" Jongin asked again. His voice was still full of anger.

"I'm fine, Jongin” Kyungsoo replied even though the room was still spinning in his head.

"Damn it, brother. Why don’t you just admit that you have feelings for Baekhyun?"

"Woobin," yelled Kyungsoo.

"Well look at him. Look how much he cares about you. Don’t you realize how worried he was? He wouldn’t be if you weren’t important to him." Woobin argued.

"You two should talk about your feelings. My job here is done." Woobin grabbed his jacket and left the hotel room.

At that moment Jongin realized that Woobin had bluffed. Indeed, he was mad, but he was even more relieved.

“Did he do anything to you?” Jongin asked as he laid Kyungsoo on the bed.

“No, I’m fine. I just drank too much… I guess,” Kyungsoo replied, turning his back so he didn’t have to face Jongin.

“I’ll sleep here tonight. You can go home. Thank you for coming, even though I don’t know why. Since you surely weren’t worried about me.” Kyungsoo added.

“You think I didn’t worry when my brother kidnapped you? We’re married for god’s sake. I have the responsibility for you.” Jongin raised his voice. Kyungsoo felt another pressure building up in his chest. “Responsibility” sounded cold and impersonal… exactly what this marriage had been.

“I mean, of course, I care about you. Your father… My father could kill me if something happened to you.” Jongin searched for an explanation and before he knew what to say, he ended up with the lamest excuse.

As Kyungsoo didn’t react, Jongin tried again. “Let’s go home… Baekhyun, are you listening?”

And once again silence filled the room.

“Fuck, Baekhyun. I’m talking to you.” Jongin said while his hands grabbed Kyungsoo’s shoulders, turning the smaller male to face him by force.

“What do you think you’re doing,” Kyungsoo called out as he felt the pain on his shoulders. He did his best to free himself, but Jongin was stronger. Kyungsoo was pinned to the bed without any chance to escape.

“Did you even listen to what I said?” Jongin asked again while he bent over. It took Kyungsoo a few seconds to catch his breath before answering.  
“I did. It’s flattering to know you care about me because our fathers would kill you. Lucky me.” Kyungsoo answered with sarcasm.

“No, you’re misunderstanding me.”

“I got it, ok? Our marriage is just business to you. Nothing more, nothing less. I mean nothing to you. I got it.” Kyungsoo said while fighting against the tears that are threatened to fall every second. His lower lip trembled.

“When did I ever say that?” Jongin exclaimed.

“You didn’t have to. That’s what you showed me the last days. First, you kissed me. Then you ignored me. How am I supposed to take that?” Kyungsoo now said through his sobbing. He felt ashamed that Jongin could see his face. What was more pathetic than your crush watching you crying over him?

Maybe his words or his crying distracted Jongin for a second. Jongin’s grips loosened a bit and Kyungsoo mobilized all his strength to push Jongin away. For one second or two he was free, but the next moment Jongin grabbed him again. This time by his neck as Jongin pulled him for a rough kiss.

Next thing he knew he slapped Jongin so hard that his hand hurt. As he realized his action, he expected Jongin to explode. Yet, the taller man was calm.

“Ok, I deserved it.” He said.

“What the hell are you doing?” Kyungsoo asked in confusion.

“I’m not good with words, ok? I mean I’m trying to tell you I care a lot about you. Not because I have to but because …” Jongin paused.

“I like you, ok?” Jongin confessed.

“Is it true?” Kyungsoo needed to confirm what he just heard. He wasn’t that drunk, was he?

“Of course, it’s true” Jongin replied without thinking twice as he leaned in for another kiss, hoping he wouldn’t gain one more slap this time. To his relief, his wish was granted. Yet, when Jongin took off his shirt, Kyungsoo hesitated.

“You’re not gonna regret this tomorrow, are you?”

“Of course, not,” Jongin confirmed.

At that moment they both didn’t know they just got themselves into the biggest trouble in their lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are confused by part 1, Chanyeol's dad doesn't suspect Baekkie to be a fake anymore since he passed the DNA and the "mom" test. Maybe I didn't describe it clearly. Sorry, guys.


	20. ♡ The secrets you keep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is quite short, so I'll update the next one soon.

Jongin woke up to an angelic face and the most comfortable warm next to him. He couldn’t remember the last time he fell asleep next to someone else. Maybe he never did. He wasn’t the type to cuddle. Damn it, he hadn’t even had a teddy bear as a child. Yet, having Kyungsoo in his arms felt so right. He could be used to this feeling, the gang leader thought.

“Good morning,” Jongin greeted as Kyungsoo opened his eyes. The smaller didn’t reply. Instead, all Kyungsoo did was staring at him emotionlessly. After a few seconds, Kyungsoo sat up, looking around. Then, reality hit him hard as he looked down the blanket, only to discover his naked body.

“Holy shit, what the f*ck?” He exclaimed while jumping off the bed, looking for his clothes.

“Baekhyun,” Jongin called out in confusion. “What’s wrong?”

“What the hell happened last night?” Kyungsoo asked in shock. However, Jongin was much more shocked. He now got the idea, Kyungsoo might have forgotten last night. That bastard of a half-brother did drug the smaller boy.

“Baekhyun, calm down,” Jongin said, reaching out for Kyungsoo, but Kyungsoo stepped back.

“Did we…?” Kyungsoo asked while putting on his shirt.

“Yes, we did,” Jongin answered.

“Why?”

“Why?” Jongin repeated the question. He couldn’t think of a proper way to answer it. “Because we love each other?” His mind suggested. But was it love?

“Because…” Jongin tried to find the right words but failed. Kyungsoo patiently waited for Jongin’s explanation. Yet, watching the taller struggling looking for an answer, he couldn’t help but laugh.

Jongin's eyebrows raised as he realized the situation.

“You remembered,” Jongin exclaimed and Kyungsoo’s laughter only got louder.

“You should have seen your face,” Kyungsoo added. By that Jongin approached the other boy, pulling Kyungsoo back to bed for a kiss.

“Do you want to kill me with a heart attack?” Jongin asked, acting mad.

“That’s your punishment for being a dick to me lately,” Kyungsoo replied.

“You’re gonna pay for that,” Jongin whispered in Kyungsoo’s ear before playing kisses on the smaller’s neck. Kyungsoo moaned, and Jongin took that as an encouragement to continue. Just then Kyungsoo’s phone rang. Recognizing the ringtone, Kyungsoo pushed Jongin away.

“Leave it,” Jongin said, pulling Kyungsoo back into his arms.

“Jongin, let go,” Kyungsoo demanded as he reached for his phone. Jongin, still holding on his husband, buried his face in Kyungsoo’s neck again and worked his way down.

“You can answer the call, but I won’t stop.” He stated.

“You want to do that while I’m on the phone … with my mom?” Kyungsoo raised his eyebrows, waiting for an answer he already knew.

“Great, you mood killer,” Jongin called out, finally letting go.

“May I?” Kyungsoo tactfully waved with his phone to signal his need for privacy. Jongin nodded.

“I’ll be taking a shower,” the taller said, placing a soft kiss on Kyungsoo’s lips.

While the cold water running through his body, it came to his mind that Baekhyun’s mom ran away when he was young. How old was Baekhyun at that time? Four or Five? How is it possible he was talking to his mom? Grabbing the towel, Jongin got out of the shower to eavesdrop the conversation.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to lie to you… I know… I know… Ok… I got it... Ok… I love you too.”

“I love you too?” Jongin repeated the last past in his head. Baekhyun should better be talking to his mom for real.

“Are you done?” Jongin literally jumped as Kyungsoo knocked on the bathroom’s door. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself and opened the door.

“Yes. You too I assume.”

“Yeah,” Kyungsoo replied, looking at the floor like a puppy that just broke something.

“Is everything ok? You looked…,” guilty, he wanted to say.

“…worried.” Jongin finished the sentence.

“It’s nothing. I just did something stupid and she’s mad at me.” Kyungsoo mumbled but Jongin heard every word.

“What did you do?” Jongin asked.

“It’s nothing,” Kyungsoo replied.

“You said it was your mom, right?”

“Yeah,” Kyungsoo answered. Jongin didn’t show his mistrust but inside he was craving for the truth.

“I have to go back to the office now, but do you want to meet me there for lunch?” Jongin suggested.

“I’d love to, but I have an appointment today.” Kyungsoo rejected.

“An appointment? With your mom?”

“Yes.”

“Shouldn’t I accompany you and say hello to my mother in law?” Jongin tested.

“NO,” Kyungsoo shouted out loud. “Ahm I mean… she’s mad at me right now. So, it’d be bad timing for you to meet. I want to straighten things out and then I’ll introduce you to her.” Kyungsoo explained.

“Ok, let’s have lunch another day. Greet your mom for me.”

“I will.”

“Oh and take Suho with you,” Jongin added. Kyungsoo nodded. Neither did he knew Jongin was about to called Suho right away to pick up the smaller.

As he realized Jongin’s intend, it was already too late. So here he stood, in front of the hotel and next to Jongin, waiting for Suho. Before Suho got out of the car, Kyungsoo could already see the judgment in Suho’s eyes. Therefor he didn’t respond to Jongin’s goodbye kiss, but that didn’t help a bit. Because all that counted was Suho seeing them sharing a kiss.

“Are you out of your mind?” Suho shouted out loud as Jongin finally left.

“You said you’d get him to go on a date with you, not getting into his f*cking pants.”

“Hyung,” Kyungsoo called but Suho didn’t seem to listen.

“Damn it, Kyungsoo,” Suho said Kyungsoo’s name under his breath, not forgetting they were in public. “You know who he was and still… For god’s sake, don’t tell me you have feelings for him.”

One look at Kyungsoo blushing and the policeman could already tell. Kyungsoo was head over heels in love with the gang leader. Angrily Suho pushed Kyungsoo into the car.

“Do fucking Kyungsoo. What do you think you’re doing? Don’t you know what kind of person Jongin was? How can you be so stupid?”

“Jongin is not as bad as you think,” Kyungsoo argued.

“Oh my god, Kyungsoo. Do you even listen to yourself? Knowing him is my job. I have studied him for years. And you? Knowing him for two months?”

“I’m not naive. I know his business is illegal but he’s kind to me.”

“He broke your leg,” Suho shouted.

“Not on purpose.”

“You really believe that?”

“Hyung, you think too low of him. I think deep inside he isn’t really a bad person.” Kyungsoo defended his husband.

“Oh Lord,” Suho sighed. He didn’t know how to convince Kyungsoo that Jongin wasn’t the right match for him. But what he knew very well was the fact that Kyungsoo was making a big mistake. Suho, hate this helpless feeling. This must be how parents felt when they saw their children making the wrong choice but couldn’t do anything to prevent them from that.

“By the way…” Kyungsoo broke the silence. “My mom is in town.”

“What?” Suho asked in disbelief.

“You mean she’s here? In Korea?”

“Yeah, here in Seoul,” Kyungsoo replied. Suho’s jaw dropped. He didn’t know much about her past, but she once told him, she would never be able to go back to Korea. He remembered clearly how sad she looked as she said that.

“How much does she know?” Suho asked.

“That depends on you,” Kyungsoo said, asking for Suho’s help.

That evening, after a long day, Kyungsoo came home with the feeling he just disappointed everyone. Suho, his mom and probably his dad as well. The day started so nice being with Jongin and then it turned out it was the lull before the storm. He ended up doing nothing but convincing Suho and his mom of him being fine and knowing what he was doing.

It took him a while, but Suho agreed to tell his mother Kyungsoo was staying at his place. It took him longer to talk his mom into letting him stay in Korea. Of course, he skipped the details which involved Jongin and his gang. Kyungsoo hated being himself at the moment. All he did today was either lying or disappointing people. Or both.

“How was meeting your mom?” Jongin’s voice surprised Kyungsoo.

“It was nice. She wanted to see you next time,” Kyungsoo was impressed by his own ability to lie. Nothing that made him feel better though.

“Really? Sounds like a great idea.” Jongin played along despite being aware of Kyungsoo’s lies. “You look tired. That must have been the hell of a reunion.”

“You have no idea,” Kyungsoo mumbled.

“Take a shower and go to bed early.” Jongin placed a cold kiss on Kyungsoo’s lips before walking away. Yet, three steps later, he stopped.

“Baekhyun,” he called the smaller.

“Yeah?”

“As far as I know Byun Baekhyun’s mother left him when he was four.” Jongin laid it on the line. By that Kyungsoo froze.

“So who are you?” Jongin questioned.

A/N: Hi, is anybody on Twitter or Tumblr too? Let's follow each other.  
I'd love to communicate more with my readers & writer friends.  
My accs:  
<https://twitter.com/Pab0_Panda>  
<https://pab0panda.tumblr.com>  
Hope to see you there. (Ready to stalk ya hahaha)


	21. ♡ The real you

“So, who are you?”

Kyungsoo panicked yet keeping his poker face, he asked back.

“What do mean?”

“Who was it? That person you met today.” At that moment Kyungsoo realized he misheard. His mind must be playing with him.

“Would you believe me, if I say it was really my mother,” Kyungsoo told the truth. He was tired of lying the whole day. How much of the truth can he tell Jongin?

“You mean you’ve been in touch with your mom behind your dad’s back?” Kyungsoo was sure Jongin was amused.

“I have never lost contact with my mom, except for that one time when I was young. It was for a short time though.” Kyungsoo explained, meaning that time he was kidnapped. Yet, he knew Jongin was interpreting his words differently. Still, this felt better than lying.

“Your dad knows nothing, even though he has been looking for her for so long?” Jongin laughed.

“I surely don’t tell my father everything,” Kyungsoo answered the question indirectly, letting Jongin interpret the statement once again. By that Jongin pulled Kyungsoo in for a passionate kiss.

“I just love you even more, Byun Baekhyun.” The gang leader confessed unknowingly.

“Did you just say you love me?” Kyungsoo repeated the L word, causing Jongin to notice what he just said. Luckily, he wasn’t one of those people who couldn’t hide their blush.

After a moment of silence, Kyungsoo saved Jongin from the struggle of finding the right words.

“Forget it. Say it to me again, when you know you mean it.” Jongin literally imagined a weight falling off his mind. Kyungsoo was understanding and sweet… and sexy. Jongin was aware of his fortune to have such a person on his side. Little did he knew his luck had an expiration day.

Seven days from now on.

Because seven days was all Suho gave Kyungsoo. Seven days to straighten things out. Seven days to settle his heart. Seven days to say goodbye. Seven days to leave Jongin for good.

Kyungsoo snuggled into Jongin’s embrace, mouthing “I’m sorry” as he was sure Jongin wouldn’t see his face. He felt guilty he made Jongin believe those things about Baekhyun. Yet theoretically Kyungsoo didn’t lie. He was sick of pretending to be Byun Baekhyun. He was sick of being someone else. He hated the idea of leaving Jongin when the taller wouldn’t know a thing about his real person. Jongin wouldn’t even know his name once he had left.

Seven days to make Jongin learn about Do Kyungsoo, not the person he pretended to be.

Seven days to make memories.

Baekhyun laid down next to Chanyeol who was leaning against the bed, reading an e-book. Chanyeol immediately put away his iPad as Baekhyun got under the blanket.

“You don’t look happy. Wasn’t it nice to see your mom again?” Chanyeol asked, playing with Baekhyun’s hair since he knew that relaxed the smaller boy.

“It was more than nice. I missed her. But it was a weird situation.” Baekhyun answered.

“You mean her sudden visit?”

“Yeah you could say, I wasn’t expecting to see her”

…”ever again.” Baekhyun kept the last past to himself.

“I talked to my father. He won’t come up with surprises anymore. That was rude to unexpectedly drop in on you like that.” Chanyeol said, placing a soft kiss on Baekhyun’s forehead.

Baekhyun grabbed Chanyeol’s free hand. “Thank you,” he said. The feeling of Chanyeol’s fingers going through his hair was so comfortable. Shortly after, Baekhyun fell asleep.

Yet, even in his dreams, he couldn’t escape reality. Pieces of his conversation with his mom kept repeating in his mind.

“How long can you lie to him?”

“Are you sure he isn’t feeling that way because of the marriage?”

“He doesn’t even know your name.”

“He might think he loves you, but is he?”

Baekhyun woke up with a worse headache than all the hangovers he ever had.

“Does Chanyeol love him or did he love the Do Kyungsoo he played?” Baekhyun wondered.

It had been almost a week since Baekhyun reunited with his mom. Even though she rushed back to America, they have been talking every day. He loved talking to her, yet Chanyeol was a sensitive topic. Baekhyun didn’t want to keep explaining to her that what they had was real. She wouldn’t understand it. But Baekhyun was sure, Chanyeol loved him.

… Was he?

“I’m sorry. I need to pick up this call,” Chanyeol apologized before standing up, leaving the dining room. Chanyeol’s voice brought Baekhyun back to earth. Had he been lost in his thoughts again? That happened way too often lately.

“Are you not feeling well?” Mr. Park surprised him as he broke the silence after Chanyeol left. For one second, he forgot he was having dinner with his father in law. Well, Kyungsoo’s father in law.

“No, I’m fine,” Baekhyun answered.

“How are things going with Chanyeol?”

“Good. Great,” Baekhyun replied. “Very great.”

“Are you sure? You haven’t look at him since we’ve sat down.”

“Was it so obviously?” Baekhyun asked. Chanyeol’s father nodded.

“I’m afraid we’ve rushed things a bit.” Baekhyun answered, staring at the table.

“What did Chanyeol say about that?” The man questioned.

“Chanyeol seems to think different, I guess… We haven’t talked about it.” Baekhyun sighed.

“Did you know Chanyeol used to have a dog?” Mr. Park asked, laying down his wineglass.

“Yes, he told me about Milo,” Baekhyun answered, wondering why Mr. Park changed the topic. Maybe it wasn’t appropriate to talk about their marriage that way in front of his father in law.

“Did he tell you how he got it?”

Baekhyun shook his head and Mr. Park continued.

“He was about 12 years old when he insisted on adopting a dog. My wife and I were against it since a dog means a huge responsibility… especially for a kid. We explained to him, that a dog needs to be taken out every day, no matter if the sun shines or if it rains. But as you’ve already noticed, Chanyeol is a stubborn one. He has always been. Chanyeol was certain he could take the dog out every day. He promised us. So, in the end, we agreed on a bet.”

“A bet? Is that how parents should behave?” Baekhyun thought but what did he knew about parenting? Nothing. His parents were never there.

“We gave him our word, if he can go for a walk every day for one month, we would allow him to adopt a dog.”

“Chanyeol won the bet, I assumed,” Baekhyun said, and Mr. Park laughed.

“Almost. He was impressive, even though it was the rainy season. Yet, he went for a walk every single day after school. Until the 27th day, when he caught a cold and had to stay in bed. We thought he’d sleep through the night. At midnight his mother woke me up, as she couldn’t find Chanyeol in his bed.”

“That must have been terrible for you.”

“We panicked,” Mr. Park nodded. “We found him in the nearby park in his pajama. It took us less than 15 minutes to find him, but it felt like centuries.”

Baekhyun could sense the fatherly love. Until now Baekhyun had thought of Chanyeol’s father as a very cold and unapproachable person since Mr. Park never showed any emotion. But maybe he had put on a poker face for too long, he forgot to put it down in front of his family.

“Chanyeol left the house in the middle of the night?” Baekhyun asked.

“Yes, he said he went for a walk before midnight, so he still didn’t lose the bet. That was all that idiot cared about while having a high fever. He was barely standing. His condition was so bad, we had to bring him to the hospital where he stayed for the next days.” Mr. Park continued telling the story.

“So, he lost the bet?” Baekhyun couldn’t explain why he felt so bad for the young Chanyeol, as if he unknowingly cheered on the little boy.

“Indeed, but when he was released from the hospital, we did surprise him with a puppy.” Mr. Park proudly said with a smile.

“So, you’re actually a softie. Chanyeol might get that from his father.” Baekhyun thought.

“What I wanted to tell is, Chanyeol is one who’s true to his word. He always means what he says, therefore all you need to do is talking to him.”

“I got it,” said Baekhyun and mouthing “thank you” as Chanyeol came back.

“I’m sorry, something happened. I need to go.” Chanyeol hurried, reaching for Baekhyun to place a kiss on his check. “I’ll call you later.” He said, rushed out of the room.

“Chanyeol,” called Baekhyun, but the taller boy didn’t notice. Baekhyun turned to Mr. Park. His father in law nodded in encouragement.

“Go after him,” he said. And Baekhyun did as he was told.

“Chanyeol,” he exclaimed. Finally, Chanyeol stopped right in front of his car.

“What happened? You ok?” Baekhyun worried.

“I’m fine, but a friend needs my help. His friend went missing.” Chanyeol explained.

“Oh my god… can I help?” Baekhyun offered.

“Would you?”

“Of course, he’s your friend,” Baekhyun replied.

“Gosh, I love you,” Chanyeol said out loud and they both got in the car, heading to an unknown place.

“Your friend, did he report his friend as missing?” Baekhyun questioned.

“No, he can’t call the police. That’s why he needs our help.” Chanyeol answered.

"He can’t he call the cops? What if things are serious?” Baekhyun asked out of curiosity. Naturally, he knew a lot of reasons for not calling the cops. But those reasons would only work out if you’re from the underworld. A person from Chanyeol's world would be anything but a gangster, Baekhyun thought.

Chanyeol kept silence.

“Chanyeol?”

“I can trust you, can I?” Chanyeol asked, looking into Baekhyun’s eyes.

“Of course,” Baekhyun confirmed with a short hesitation and the taller turned his head back to the street.

“He is a cop,” Chanyeol explained.

“He is undercover.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story about the dog is based on my own experience, so bear with the cheese LoL


	22. ♡ The bad boy he chooses to love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very short chapter for Kaisoo shippers. Are you all doing fine?

„Mom? Tell me about you and dad.”

“What do you want to know, honey?” Kyungsoo’s mother asked back.

“Everything… like how did you meet? How did you fall in love? How did you get married?” Mrs. Do wondered about her son’s sudden curiosity. Yet, she answered anyway.

“Well, it’s a long story.” Noticing Kyungsoo’s curiosity, she knew he truthy wanted to hear the whole story.

“Well… Your dad used to go to this bar that was owned by my ex-boyfriend.” She decided not to tell her son, she was married at the time she met his father.

“And every day he went there with another lady, but he never left the bar with them. That was when I thought he was a very weird person.” She said, laughing. Kyungsoo smiled but didn’t say a word but listened carefully.

“It was my responsibility to close the bar and for some reason, he stayed every night until closing time. So, we started talking to each other and I don’t remember when it happened, but we became friends.”

“Did you meet dad before he became a billionaire?” Kyungsoo asked. Deep down he was a romantic person. Imagining his parents going through a hard time together to have a happy end. That’d be so fairy tale like.

“No, your father was already pretty successful by the time we met. Me, on the other hand… how do I say it?” Mrs. Do took a deep breath.

“I met your father at a very hard time in my life.” She sighed before continuing.

“I was in a … toxic relationship that didn’t do me any good.” Kyungsoo’s mother skipped the details of the abusing. Her little boy didn’t need to know every horrible thing.

“When I met your father, we were just friends. He was someone who could listen and at some point, he showed me I deserved better.” Kyungsoo nodded, unknowingly agreed.

“Why did you stay with your ex, when he didn’t treat you right?” That wasn’t just any question. This question meant a lot to Kyungsoo. Why? Because that was the same question he needed to answer right now. Why did he want to stay? Why did he fall for Jongin who hadn’t treated him like he deserved?

“It was very complicated. He was different when I fell in love with him. He was charming. He was… exciting and he made me feel special.” Kyungsoo noticed the sad smile that appeared on his mother’s face for a split second. After all, she still remembered Baekhyun’s father at his young age. She knew she wasn’t irresponsible for her fate. She knew he was the heir of a gang, and still, she chose to love him. She was young and naïve, that was what she told herself. A bad boy that was hated the world but loved her. That made her feel special. That made her feel loved.

“But people change,” she added.

“And still you stayed. Why?” Kyungsoo asked in confusion. Maybe his mother could explain. She did the same thing as he was doing now. “Mother knows best” right? Until this point, Kyungsoo hadn’t noticed how much he got it from his mother. Maybe he even inherited her proclivity for “bad boys”.

“I couldn’t leave your half-brother,” that she couldn’t tell.

“I didn’t know where else to go,” she lied, and the answer didn’t satisfy Kyungsoo at all.

“Until your father offered me an opportunity,” she once again hid the truth. How could a mother tell her son, he was the reason she left her abusive husband? Because technically she cheated on Baekhyun’s dad and left him when she got pregnant with Kyungsoo. She didn’t want Kyungsoo to feel like he destroyed Baekhyun’s life. After all, she still dreamed of the day when her sons could meet. She dreamed of them loving each other as the brothers they were. Their past, no her past… the decisions she had made shouldn’t ruin their relationship.

“It took time but at some point, your father and I, we fell in love.” Mrs. Do said. It was a weird situation, telling her son something so cheesy. As an Asian mom, she wasn’t used to talking about emotions. But she was aware of her son growing up overseas. Since he was a child, he has learned to talk about feelings.

“How did you know it was love? You thought you loved your ex too? Didn’t you?” Mrs. Do now stared at her son who suddenly showed interest in the whole topic. “Is he in love? Did he reach this age already?” She wanted to wrap him in embraces and hide him from the world. Love was something wonderful and yet it can hurt. Damn it, it can hurt you deadly.

“How did you know dad was the right one?” Kyungsoo asked again, and it took her a moment to think about it. This kind of questions wasn’t easy to answer. She… no, the human race hasn’t found the perfect answer yet.

“I think it was because when I’m with your dad, I was … me. No pretending. No pressure. I didn’t need to think about everything I’m gonna say or do. I was just myself.”

Kyungsoo felt his disappointment growing. He thought about his relationship with Jongin. If his mother was right, Jongin wasn’t the right one. Every part of his parents’ story told him, Jongin wasn’t the right one. Loving Jongin was a mistake. A fated mistake.

That morning, Kyungsoo had woken up for almost half an hour and still, he laid there, staring at the ceiling, not moving an inch. The conversation he had with his mother was still bothering him. Thus, he was glad as his phone rang and distracted him.

“Suho hyung,” Kyungsoo answered under his breath as he left the room, so he wouldn’t wake Jongin up.

“Your mom just arrived in New York,” Suho said. Kyungsoo felt relieved that she got home safely. Yet, he missed her already.

“Thank you for informing me, hyung.”

“No big deal.” Suho replied.

“I’m hanging up.” After a moment of awkward silence, Suho said.

“Wait, hyung,” Kyungsoo shout out, but he was too late. Suho sounded pissed. The older didn’t make a secret of being unhappy about Kyungsoo’s choice. He was disappointed by Kyungsoo for getting himself into a relationship with the gang leader. He was mad at Kyungsoo for choosing to stay, even if it were only seven days. Kyungsoo knew it all. Still, he fell for Jongin.

Kyungsoo turned around. As he was about to go back in, the door opened, and Jongin was right in front of him.

“Oh sorry, did I wake you up?” Kyungsoo apologized.

“Who are you talking to this early?” The taller boy asked, and Kyungsoo could clearly sense Jongin’s discontent.

“Suho hyung. He just wanted to tell me my mom arrived safely.” Kyungsoo answered honestly. He didn’t see any problem with telling the truth. He had become to hate lying to Jongin more and more.

“Baekhyun,” Jongin called and placed his right arm around Kyungsoo’s waist. Like a flash, he pulled Kyungsoo closer. The smaller was literally pressed against his own body.

“Don’t leave the room to pick up the phone. Ever.” Jongin said. No, he demanded.

“Don’t keep any secret from me. Got it?”

By that Kyungsoo felt an icy cold running through this whole body.

“I got it,” he mumbled. If Jongin only knew. Their relationship is based on the biggest lie. Ever.

Jongin kept staring at the smaller boy as if he wanted to make sure Kyungsoo meant what he said. If there was one thing Jongin hated the most, then it’s being lied to. Yet, who could take offense of that? After all, he was living in a world where a lie could cost you your life.

“Good,” Jongin finally reacted. Next thing Kyungsoo knew was being picked up and throwing over Jongin’s shoulder.

“Ouch,” Kyungsoo screamed in advance as Jongin let him fall on the bed. Not being in control of your balance is scary.

“In case of doubt, scream first.” He thought.

But to his surprise. Jongin had laid his left hand under Kyungsoo head while his right arm was wrapped around the other boy’s waist, preventing Kyungsoo from a “hard landing”.

“I want my breakfast,” Jongin whispered before nibbling on Kyungsoo’s earlobe.

Kyungsoo had learned one thing about his boyfriend slash husband. Jongin was one of those people who loved morning sex.

“The only breakfast I need is you,” Jongin constantly said every time Kyungsoo nagged at him for not having breakfast.

“Bah, so cheesy,” Kyungsoo would reply with laughter.

Yet, don’t let yourself be fooled by Jongin’s daily behavior. The gang leader was indeed tough. He treated people roughly. But behind closed doors, he was a tender lover. You hadn’t expected that? Neither did Kyungsoo. That was what Kyungsoo loved the most. He got to see this side of Jongin no one had seen before. Did that make him someone special to the leader?

“Are you this tender to all the women you had before me?” Kyungsoo asked.

“I treat you like nobody else,” Jongin wanted to say. Yet all that came out of his mouth was “Are you stupid?”

Kyungsoo frowned and Jongin instantly regretted his response.

“Kiss him before he says something,” Jongin told himself. Luckily his plan succeeded.

“I’ll get my answer later,” Kyungsoo announced, gasped for air as Jongin finally pulled away from the kiss. For now, breakfast got priority.


	23. ♡ Before the storm

"Are you still mad, hyung?" Kyungsoo asked, looking out the window. He didn't even dare to look at Jun Myeon since he knew the answer to his question already.

"I'm not mad. I'm disappointed," replied Suho. That was the answer Kyungsoo hated the most. That was what his mom used to say when he made a mistake. She was never "mad", she was "just disappointed". That was even worst.

The car stopped as they arrived at the Kim's resident where Jongin's father and his third wife lived.

"It's just three more days. I'm going back to America as you wanted. What's so bad about that?"

"It's three days of you being with Kim Jongin," Suho explained.

"You know he's not going to hurt me."

"Not physically." That got Kyungsoo. Suho was right. When those three days passed, he was going to get hurt. They both were going to get hurt. And it was his fault. On his first day arrived at the airport, he should never have pretended to be Byun Baekhyun. He should never have said "I do" to a stranger. He should never have fallen in love with Jongin in the first play.

Kyungsoo whispered another "Sorry" to his friend as he got out of the car.

He barely reached the front door as it opened automatically and soon after an old man in a butler uniform appeared. It was a weird situation to be here. He hadn't visited Jongin's father at his home yet. He felt like they made a secret of this place. Therefore, it felt like he was about to discover a mystery.

"Welcome, Mr. Byun. Mr. Kim, the senior isn't home, but the young master is waiting for you already." The man said, bowing down and as a reflex Kyungsoo bowed back. He might have grown up overseas, but he was raised with every Korean custom. Before he could ask, whether the butler meant Jongin by "young master", the taller came across the corner.

"You're here," Jongin greeted with a wide smile.  
"Come on, I have someone I want to introduce to you," Jongin added. Kyungsoo wondered who it could be. Jongin barely visited his father. He hated this place. So, who could made him go home and even asked Kyungsoo to join him? For one second Kyungsoo thought it could be his mother. Yet, as he entered the living room, he realized he was wrong.

On the couch sat a little boy. He might be about five or six. He had big eyes that remind Kyungsoo so much of Jongin's. Noticing Kyungsoo, the little boy ran to Jongin, hiding behind the tall man while holding tight on Jongin's leg.

_"If he's telling me the kid is his. I'm going back to America right away."_ Kyungsoo thought. Why was he even mad? He was leaving anyway.

"Baekhyun, this is Yoogeun. My..."

"Brother". Jongin and Kyungsoo said at the same time. Kyungsoo was feeling like an idiot at that moment. How could he think so low of Jongin? He totally forgot that Jongin had a smaller brother who went to a boarding school. He started to question whether his IQ lowered since he "got married."

"Yes," Jongin replied to Kyungsoo before turning to his baby brother, getting down to the young boy's level. Then, he started to signal something with his hands. Yoogeun only nodded before bowing to Kyungsoo.

"Jongin, can I?" Kyungsoo asked as he came closer, also getting down. Jongin was about to explain that his brother couldn't hear. Yoogeun was born without his hearing, so he hadn't said a word since birth either.

"Baekhyun, he can't..." Jongin interrupted himself the moment he saw Kyungsoo using his hands to talk to Yoogeun as well. After a split second of shock, he realized Kyungsoo was saying _"Hello, I'm Baekhyun"_ by using sign language.

_"Nice to meet you, Baekhyun-ssi,"_ Yoogeun replied with his small hands.

_"Nice to meet you too, Yoogeunnie. You can call me hyung too."_

_"Ok. Baekhyun hyung, are you Jongin hyung's wife?"_

_"No, I'm his husband."_

_"Can a man have a husband too?"_

_"Of course, Yoogeunnie. As long as you love each other."_

_"So, you love Jongin hyung?"_

Jongin could see Kyungsoo having a hard time to answer that innocent question of his baby brother. After all, they haven't used the L-word yet.

_"You can't ask him that."_ Jongin signed to the little boy.

_"Why not? You're married. So, you love each other, right?"_

_"You're too young for that. We'll talk again in a few years, ok?"_

_"I'm not a baby."_

_"Yoogeunnie,"_ Kyungsoo interrupted. _"We'll talk about this once you have someone you like, ok? I tell you about my love and you tell me about yours."_

" _Deal_ ," Yoogeun signed with a smile.

" _Deal_."

Jongin automatically smiled as well, seeing the two people who meant the most to him "talking" and getting along. Yoogeun was usually shy around strangers because of his disorder. Normally it took him a while to get comfortable with them. But Kyungsoo was different. Kyungsoo knew exactly how do treat Yoogeun. Not to mention the fact that Kyungsoo was able to use sign language. His husband was full of surprises, Jongin realized.

_"Yoogeunnie, do you want to go to Lottle World?"_ Jongin asked, and his brother literally jumped in excitement.

Jongin loved their trip. It was his first-time having company while spending time Yoogeun. The young boy was home for only two days, so they needed to "return" him to his mother. Still, only a day with him gave Jongin the indescribable feeling like they were a little family. Jongin had never thought of being a father. He couldn't imagine himself being a good one, so why bother having kids. But since Kyungsoo came along, he enjoyed thinking about them taking care of a little soul, raise it and love it. Kyungsoo had proved he would be a wonderful father to the child. He would make up for Jongin.

The next day they both came to say goodbye to Yoogeun who had to go back to school. It took Jongin over ten minutes to make his brother let go of Kyungsoo. Before going back to the boarding school, Yoogeun wanted to talk to Jongin "men to men", as the young boy said.

_"Hyung, do you love Baekhyun hyung?"_

_"Not that again, Yoogeunnie."_

_"Baekhyun hyung is not here. You can tell me the truth."_ Jongin wondered when did his baby brother grow so much.

_"Why do you keep asking that?"_

_"If you don't love him, I'll marry him when I grow up."_ By that Jongin almost burst in laughter.

_"Hyung, I love Baekhyun hyung."_ Yoogeun confessed and Jongin played along.

_"Not a chance. He is mine."_

_"Then I'll fight for his hand when I grow up."_

_"Ok. I'll wait for you."_ Jongin confirmed, patted Yoogeun's head gently.

"Why are wearing that weird smirk since Yoogeunnie left? That's creepy." Kyungsoo asked. He had to admit Jongin's smile was breathtaking. But smiling after your beloved brother left was just weird.

"I just realized you may get me into more troubles than I've thought." Jongin teased. Little did he knew his statement gave Kyungsoo the chill.

_"Kim Jongin, if you only know how right you are."_ Kyungsoo thought.

"And that makes you smile, because?" Kyungsoo asked.

"So, you don't deny being the source of troubles?"

"You knew what you got yourself into," Kyungsoo answered with a poker face. _"No, you did not."_

"Indeed, I do," Jongin said, leaning down to place a kiss on his husband's lips.

Kyungsoo enjoyed every moment of Jongin's lips on his own. The last days were both heaven and hell. Kyungsoo loved every kiss, every touch and every time their eyes meet. Yet, knowing all that wouldn't last ruined every moment. Without telling Jongin, he tried his best to spend as much time with the taller as possible. At this point, Jongin might think of him as a clingy boyfriend. But Kyungsoo didn't care anyway.

It had become a habit for Kyungsoo to spend lunchtime with Jongin. How could a gang leader be so busy that he even forgot to eat lunch? When Kyungsoo found out about Jongin's reckless handling of his health, he made Jongin promise to have lunch together daily.

"See you at lunch. Suho will drive you home." Jongin said before getting in his car.

"See you," Kyungsoo replied with a smile.

_______________

When Kyungsoo arrived at Jongin's office he immediately sensed something fishy. To get through Jongin you must pass two doors. Both were guarded by two armed men in black suits. The first door led to Jongin's assistant, Wendy, who got her desk right in front of Jongin's office. That was also where you got to pass the second door. Since the whole building belonged to the White Snake, the guards would be already informed about Kyungsoo's presence the moment he entered the building. Therefore, both doors were always open as Kyungsoo came. All he needed to do was walk taking the express elevator, walk through the hallway and greeted Jongin with a kiss. But today was different. The second door was closed. Kyungsoo wondered if the reason was him being a bit early.

"Mr. Byun," Wendy said, bowing to Kyungsoo. The young man couldn't help but notice where she was standing. Right in the middle of his way and right in front of the doorknob. That was the position you would choose to hinder someone from entering the next room.

"Hello," replied Kyungsoo.

"Please have a seat. I'll inform Mr. Kim right away." Wendy said. Her hand pointed at the couch. Kyungsoo didn't want to cause her any trouble, so he sat down as she tried to call Jongin.

"I'm afraid Mr. Kim isn't picking up. I'll try again." The young woman forced a smile. "Can I offer you something to drink? Coffee, tea, water, juice or beer?"

"Water would be fine, thank you." Kyungsoo liked Wendy. She was a young woman with ambition and well manner. Sometimes he wondered how someone as smart as she ended up working for Jongin. Did she even know who she was working for?

Wendy nodded politely. She opened a bottle water and placed a glass in front of Kyungsoo. As she was about to pour the water into the glass, Kyungsoo asked.

"Is someone in there with Jongin?" By that question, the young woman stopped what she was doing. She looked at Kyungsoo in the eyes and answered.

"No, Mr. Kim is alone. He just got a lot of work today, so he wanted to concentrate. I'll call him one more time." Wendy poured the water and bowed once again to Kyungsoo before going back to her desk, giving her boss another call.

Now Kyungsoo had a hunch why Jongin chose her. She was a good liar. But not good enough. She couldn't pour the water, something you do without thinking while answering Kyungsoo's question. That'd only happen when you were about to lie. In addition to that, she looked him in the eyes. That was what liar do. It was a mythos that people couldn't look at you when they lie. In contrast, that was exactly what liars do. They look at you to check whether they succeeded or not.

"I see," Kyungsoo mumbled, taking a sip of the water. The next second the glass slipped from his hand and fell to the floor. It broke into pieces.

"Oh my god, my bad," Kyungsoo shouted out loud. He bent down to pick up the broken fragments.

"No, please. I'll get someone to clean up. You'll hurt yourself." Wendy stopped Kyungsoo before he could touch the broken glass. As Kyungsoo nodded in agreement, she rushed out of the room.

His plan worked. Kyungsoo immediately stood up and headed to Jongin's office. He didn't want Wendy to be blamed for not doing her job, so he needed to send her away. He hated manipulating people, but he must know who or what Jongin was hiding behind this door.

Well, to be honest, Kyungsoo did have an idea. A big boss aka. a player having his assistant lying to his husband while having a secret at work. Cliché alarm.

Kyungsoo didn't even know what he was wishing for. On the one hand, he wouldn't want Jongin to cheat on him. Of course. But on the other hand, that would make it very easy for him to put an end to all this.

So what was he wishing for?

**Preview:**

**“Jongin, can you do me a favor?”**

**“Anything for you.”**

**“Go on a date with me. Just the two of us. No Suho. No bodyguards. No third wheel. Just the two of us… Would you do that for me?”**

**“I’d love to.”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Is Jongin cheating on Soo? Are you Team Kyungsoo or Team Jongin?  
> And I hope you guys welcome Yoogeunnie. Please give him all the loves


	24. ♡ Love you to death

Kyungsoo could feel the heartbeat in his chest. His hand was calm, but his heart was not. And yet, he was impressed by his own self-control. He had learned to maintain his poker face by the time being with Jongin.

Kyungsoo took a deep breath and pushed himself through the door. He was ready to face reality.

_ No, he was not. _ He realized.

In less than one second, he completely forgot his stupid idea of Jongin cheating on him. Kyungsoo frowned at the picture he saw. Jongin was standing in front of another, taller man who was kneeling on the floor with his head hanging down. Kyungsoo couldn’t see the man’s face and yet, he noticed clearly the blood and the cuts on his face. His right eye was swollen he could barely open it. The wound on his forehead wouldn’t stop bleeding. Kyungsoo’s glances wandered to Jongin’s hand which was also smeared with blood. Jongin stretched his fingers after throwing another hard punch at the man. The unknown man landed on the floor due to the impact. Kyungsoo could feel the pain just by watching and still, the man lifted his upper body to go back to the position before, waiting for the next attack.

Jongin didn’t seem to notice or maybe he didn’t care about the fact that the taller man couldn’t regain his balance. He was about to pass out. One more hit could knock him out… forever. Before realizing it, Kyungsoo threw himself between those two as he saw Jongin raised his fist again. He used his body to cover the injured man so that he was facing Jongin. Except for the fact that he closed his eyes. And the pain he expected came. Jongin’s hit landed directly on his jaw, causing him to bite on his tough. Immediately he tasted the blood.

“Baekhyun?” Kyungsoo opened his eyes as he heard Jongin calling _his name_. Jongin was as furious as before. Kyungsoo’s action only added a shock to his mood. Kyungsoo didn’t blame his boyfriend for the pain. As sudden as Kyungsoo appeared, not even a good fighter like Jongin could stop the attack.

“Get out, Baekhyun,” Jongin demanded.

“No,” Kyungsoo exclaimed out loud. “You’re going too far. I don’t know what’s going on but you’re going to kill him.”

“And what if I do? He deserves it.” Jongin said through clenched teeth.

“Get the fuck out of my sight, Baekhyun.”

“No,” Kyungsoo refused. By that, he could see the anger in Jongin growing.

“Fuck,” Jongin screamed. He grabbed the coffee cup on his table and smashed it on the ground. Kyungsoo had expected the outburst and yet he flinched. Standing up, he stepped aside.

“Jongin,” he called. Kyungsoo felt the relief as Jongin’s eyes followed his figure. One more step to the left.

“Baekhyun, go the fuck home. I’m so pissed right now. I might hurt you again,” Jongin warned, and Kyungsoo knew he meant it. His whole body was trembling in fury.

“Jongin, look at me” Kyungsoo called again, coming closer. However, Jongin took a step back, remaining the distance between them. Not being able to hold back anymore, he rammed his fist into the glass cabinet to his side. Like the cabinet, Kyungsoo’s heart broke into pieces as he saw the flinders cutting Jongin’s flesh while the taller boy didn’t even seem the realize them.

“Can you look at me, Jongin?” Kyungsoo needed to calm this man down. But when did saying “calm down” ever work? Never.

“I’m coming closer, ok?” Kyungsoo suggested. Still, Jongin didn’t answer. But he didn’t refuse Kyungsoo either. By that Kyungsoo move forward. The smaller man moved slowly as if he was approaching a wild animal.

“Baekhyun, don’t come any closer,” Jongin almost whispered, but Kyungsoo heard it clearly. Though he didn’t stop.

“Jongin, look at me. It’s me.” The gang leader didn’t react.

“Can you take my hands?” Kyungsoo reached out for Jongin’s hands, but he waited for the taller man to take the first step. His eyes were fixed on Jongin’s bleeding hands. The blood was dripping on the carpet, changing its color.

“Take my hands when you’re ready, I’ll wait.” Jongin’s chest went up and down with every heavy breath he took. Moments later he finally made it. He grabbed Kyungsoo’s hands.

“Thank you,” Kyungsoo said with a smile. Next, he gently pulled Jongin in for a hug. It was an unusual situation for Kyungsoo to embrace Jongin, as it was normally the other way around. Kyungsoo wrapped his arms around the bigger man, his right-hand patted Jongin’s back. Second after second, he could feel Jongin’s breathing coming more and more steady. Jongin buried his face into Kyungsoo’s shoulder like a big baby. He completely changed. The furious person minutes ago was gone.

Kyungsoo didn’t stop patting Jongin’s back. Yet, his left hand signaled the taller man who was still kneeling on the ground to leave quietly. Jongin lightly pushed Kyungsoo away as he heard the door. However, Kyungsoo pulled him back in his warm embrace.

“It’s ok. You can talk to him later. Let’s treat your wounds first.”

____________________

“So, what happened? What did he do?” Kyungsoo asked as they finally sat down, and Jongin placed his hand on Kyungsoo’s lap, letting the smaller clean his injury.

“That bastard took a spy into the gang. He could have killed us all,” Jongin explained. By the word “spy” all Kyungsoo could think of was Jun Myeon. He hadn’t talked to Jun Myeon for two days. Suddenly he felt numb. The bandage slipped from his hand, fell to the ground. Picking it up, he put on his best poker face.

“A spy? You meant ike a cop or something?”

“No, someone from the Red Devils,” replied Jongin.

“Oh, thank God,” Kyungsoo thought out loud and second later he regretted it. He gasped, noticing Jongin’s quizzical look.

“I mean, it would be worst, if he were a cop, wouldn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“What happened to the spy?” Kyungsoo asked and yet, he feared the answer that was to come.

“He escaped. But we’ll find him. That shit is going to pay for it.” Jongin said and Kyungsoo could feel the anger in his voice again.

“And those bastards, both of them are paying with their lives.”

“Jongin, the man earlier, what’s his name?” Kyungsoo tried to remind Jongin that “the bastard” was a person. That could increase a slight chance of mercy.

“Byungchul,” answered Jongin.

“He looks older than us. How old is he?”

“I don’t know. He has been working for my father for a long time.”

“I’m not telling you how to do your job. I’m just wondering if it’s the best idea to … kill him?”

“I know you have a soft heart, but he did a huge mistake. We all could get into lot of troubles because of him. I can’t let that go.” Jongin explained. Why did it sound like he didn’t want it either?

…

“Then cut a finger. Wouldn’t it be enough? Having him alive would constantly remind others not to make mistakes.” Kyungsoo suggested after a long silence, and he was disgusted by himself. He thought of the moment Jongin took his hands. He remembered how the blood on Jongin’s hands got on his too. Now it’s happening again. He should have known that being in this world - being with Jongin - would break him.

“If that’s what you want,” Jongin stated.

“Yeah, that’s what I want,” Kyungsoo lied, and he felt another part of him died.

Having Jongin next to him, taking care of his injuries reminded Kyungsoo of his first week at Jongin’s place. That time Jongin was shot, and they were on the rooftop when Kyungsoo helped Jongin with his wound. He remembered that night clearly since to him it was the first time he saw a side of the gang leader that was neither brutal nor violent. He saw a side of Jongin that was human. But now, he doubted which Jongin was the real one. The one that held Kyungsoo gently last night as if Kyungsoo meant the world to him. Or the one that broke his hand almost killing a man. He tried and told himself repeatedly that deep down Kim Jongin was a good person. A caring big brother. A tender lover. And he might be right. Yet, the fact was that Jongin was a gang leader whose world was full of crimes, violence, and deaths. His world was made of everything Kyungsoo couldn’t tolerate. Kyungsoo was too naïve to even think he could change the gang leader for the better. He was naïve to think it was enough if they both love each other. Now he knew better.

"Jongin, can you do me a favor?"

"Anything for you."

"Go on a date with me. Just the two of us. No Suho. No bodyguards. No third wheel. Just the two of us... Would you do that for me?"

"I'd love to."

And by that Kyungsoo was dead inside.

\--------------------------------------

That night Kyungsoo didn’t sleep a second. His stuff was packed and everything that could lead to Do Kyungsoo was destroyed. He had watched enough movies to knew he should clean every place that could possibly have his fingerprints on. He was paranoid enough to throw away his comb and everything that could contain his DNA. He was careful enough to not take a single picture with Jongin since he entered the other man’s life.

As the next day came, he forced smiles as they spend the day at Hongdae. After what happened yesterday he tried his best, but he couldn’t cheer up. Still, he wasn’t ruining their last memories for Jongin. He’d smile. He’d laugh. Jongin was going to remember their first and last date as a perfect date. Perfect until Kyungsoo disappeared. Forever.

“Is there any place you want to go?” Jongin asked as they decided it was time for dinner.

“Yes, there is a restaurant that let you experience how it’s like if you can’t see,” Kyungsoo suggested.

“Like we’re blind?” Jongin asked confusingly.

“Uhm, yeah. The waiters are actually blind.”

“That doesn’t sound tempting at all.”

“You don’t want to be in a dark place… with me… blindfolded?” Kyungsoo licked his lips teasingly.

“Where is that restaurant?” Jongin shouted, leading the way even though he had no clue where to go.

Jongin had to admit the concept of the restaurant was unique and he enjoyed the whole experience more than he had thought. He loved the fact that closing his eyes made him listen better. He paid more attention to “Baekhyun’s” voice. How did he not notice how nice the smaller’s voice was? It was warm if that was a word to describe voices. Anyway, that was how it made Jongin feel. Warm and comforting.

Kyungsoo was glad no one could see him. It made it easier for him to cheat, he thought as he took off his blindfold for the whole dinner. He wanted to appreciate every second he had left to look at this beautiful person. He needed to tattooed Jongin’s picture in his mind. Furthermore, he was glad Jongin didn’t see him. He wouldn’t want Jongin to see the sadness he wasn’t able to hide anymore. Jongin shouldn’t notice the tears which Kyungsoo wasn’t able to hold back anymore, the tears that just silently fell.

“Jongin,” called Kyungsoo, taking the elder’s hands.

_ This would be the last time he held those hands. Remember this feeling.  _

“I’m going to the restroom.” Kyungsoo lied one last time.

“Ok,” Jongin replied, unaware of Kyungsoo’s trembling as the smaller man let go of him to stand up. All he heard was the sound of the wooden chair being pushed back. When he felt a pair of soft lips on him, he returned the kiss. Even if he were blind, he would still recognize those lips.

“I love you,” he heard “Baekhyun” whispered. He smiled to the kiss, but before he could answer, “Baekhyun” interrupted.

“Don’t say it now,” Kyungsoo stopped his boyfriend. As much as he wanted to hear Jongin say these words, he wasn’t heartless enough to let Jongin say it out loud. Because that would make it real. That would make it harder for Jongin to forget him. And Jongin would never forgive him for that.

Letting go of Jongin made it harder for Kyungsoo to breath. With every step toward the exit, the pain in his chest increased. No, he was feeling the pain on every part of his body, on every inch of his skin. It hurt so much he could imagine cuts and blood on his skin. How grateful he was that human didn’t die of broken hearts.

Kyungsoo pushed himself through the crowd. Hongdae was full of young people and each of them was busy with themselves. No one took note of his sobbing. No one gave him a look of concern. No one cared. Kyungsoo felt how the strength left his body slowly. Luckily, he knew he almost reached the meeting point with Suho. Just two more blocks. His legs hadn’t given up. But his vision was giving him dizziness. It wasn’t easy walking through Hongdae with tears in your eyes. Kyungsoo barely saw anything. So, he decided to take the back alley to avoid the crowd. The moment he bumped into a tall and well build man he regretted his decision.

“Where are you going, beauty?” The man asked.

**Who do you think the man in the last scene is?**

**This chapter is supposed to be all emotional and all but yeah, you know me. I'm not good with feelings and stuff, so it turns out shitty as it is.**  



	25. ♡ Crash

“Baekhyun, is that you?” 

“Are you back?” 

“Seriously, say something.” 

Jongin asked every time someone passed by or every time, he heard a noise. He had been waiting for over 15 minutes and having his eyes closed made it felt like 50 minutes. 

“It’s not funny anymore, Byun Baekhyun.” Jongin ripped the blindfold off his eyes as the last piece of patience left his body. To his disappointment the seat in front of him was empty. The restaurant was full. It was weird watching people having dinner with blindfolds. Thinking that just a minute ago he looked the same gave Jongin an odd feeling. Scanning every inch of the room, Jongin ascertained Kyungsoo was nowhere to find. Suddenly having a presentiment of danger, Jongin hastened to the restroom. 

“Baekhyun,” he called but no one answered. 

“Baekhyun,” he kept calling while checking every cabin. As expected, he found nobody. His last hope was all on the last cabin which was occupied. 

“Are you in there, Baekhyun?” Still no answer. 

“Are you ok?” 

“Are you not feeling well?” 

“Give me some response, Baekhyun.” Hearing the water, Jongin calmed down, expecting “Baekhyun” to come out soon. Yet, nothing happened again. 

“Damn it, Baekhyun.” Jongin groaned in frustration. As he punched against the door, it finally opened, and an annoyed stranger pushed himself through Jongin to get out of the cabin. 

“Fuck, dude. Can’t a man shit in peace?” He yelled, passing by. Jongin would have burst out in laughter, if it wasn’t for the embracement he was feeling at the same time. 

That was also the moment he admitted he needed help. Reaching for his phone, he dialled Kyungsoo’s number. 

“The number you have dialed has not been recognized.” 

“What?” Jongin shouted, looked at the screen to make your he pressed the right number. And he tried again. 

“The number you have dialed has not been recognized.” 

“What the hell is happening here?” Jongin screamed inside. Next, he called Suho. 

“Is Baekhyun with you?” He asked the second Suho picked up. 

“Jongin?” The older man asked at the other end. 

“Is Baekhyun with you?” Jongin repeated, not wasting time. 

“No, isn’t he with you?” 

“I wouldn’t have asked if he were with me, would I?” 

“Did you call him?” 

“Of course, I did. Fuck, Suho, can you say something useful?” 

“Sorry, where are you? I’ll be right there.” 

“Hongdae. And Suho, bring my guards with you.” Jongin demanded. 

“I’m on my way.” 

Waiting for Suho and his men was a torture, especially when all his efforts to contact Kyungsoo were just a waste of time. After the other men finally arrived, Jongin sent them out to search for Kyungsoo. He realized something was odd, but not one second did he think of Kyungsoo leaving him. He wished he was overreacting, but his instinct told him that Kyungsoo was in danger. 

“Suho, you know him well. Where would he go?” Jongin asked. 

“There are some places I can think of right now. How about we separate to look for him. I’ll send you the addresses.” Suho suggested. The last thing he needed right now was being under Jongin’s watch. 

“Ok. Call me as soon as you find him.” Jongin stated. 

Right after Jongin left, Suho dialed Kyungsoo’s new number, the one Suho got him for situations like this. He was proud of Kyungsoo. The younger man made it to escape from one of the most dangerous Korean gang. However, Suho was even more proud of Kyungsoo for being reasonable enough to understand that he needed to leave Jongin despite those feelings whether they were real or not. Because Suho understood that to Kyungsoo, they felt real. Having a crush on someone you’re supposed to escape from could make it impossible to leave. But Kyungsoo made it. And for that, Suho was proud of his former student. 

“Come one, pick up, Kyungsoo,” Suho mumbled. Kyungsoo was supposed to call him right after he left Jongin. But still, Kyungsoo hadn’t contacted him yet. 

An hours later, Suho was officially worried. Something must have gone wrong. Kyungsoo should have called him long ago. Suho headed to the central station where the locker he prepared for Kyungsoo was located. Kyungsoo was supposed to go there, if something went wrong or if they got separated. The locker contained Kyungsoo’s passport, money, a ticket to New York and of course a phone that couldn’t be tracked. As soon as Suho opened the locker, he regretted not coming here sooner. He was dumb, waiting and hoping Kyungsoo would call him. Kyungsoo would never leave without his passport. That was the moment Suho realized he made a huge mistake. 

Kyungsoo didn’t escape. He went missing. 

Suho wasn’t a rookie. He was trained for this kind of situations. This wasn’t even his first missing case. He should know what to do. But his hands threatened to shake like he had no idea what he was doing. Surely, they were taught to treat every victim equally. This should be a case like any other. Yet, it was not. The missing person was Kyungsoo. Not any person. It was Kyungsoo, someone who was like a brother to him. Someone he promised to protect. Someone he treasured. 

Suho understood Kyungsoo deserved the best team to bring him back home. So, he didn’t wait for a second to gather the best investigators. And that didn’t mean the best policemen. 

“Jun Myeon hyung?” The voice at the other end of the phone greeted. 

“Chanyeol,” Suho said. “I need your help.” 

___________________________________ 

“Chanyeol, isn’t this your university?” Baekhyun asked with confusion as they arrived at the gate. It was about 10 pm and already dark outside. The last students were leaving the grounds. By their tired looks and the books in their arms, Baekhyun could tell they just came out of the library. He wondered how student’s life was like. Was it fun as people say? He, someone who hated school, simply couldn’t imagine study to be fun. But now wasn’t the time to fantasize. He was here to help Chanyeol’s friend. 

“Yes, we’ll meet them here. They should be here soon.” Chanyeol replied. 

“Them? Who are “they”?” 

“My friend who needs help and… well his helpers,” Chanyeol laughed at his own “joke”. The parking garage was almost empty. There were two other cars on the same floor but no one else was around. Chanyeol parked the car and got out to open the door for Baekhyun. 

“For the umpteenth time, Chanyeol, I’m not a princess. I can open the door on my own.” Baekhyun nagged, but he let Chanyeol do it anyway. 

“But I want to,” Chanyeol explained. 

“Damn it, Chanyeol, if you keep being so damned romantic, I’ll forget how to open doors one day.” Baekhyun teased. 

“Stay with me and you’ll never have to open a door again.” By that Chanyeol placed a gentle kiss on Baekhyun’s forehead. 

“You are a helpless romantic.” 

Before Chanyeol could respond to that fact, they both heard someone clearing their throat, giving them the ultimate “Stop-your-lovey-dovely-couple-shit-you’re-making-my-single-ass-uncomfortable” signal. 

“Hyung,” Chanyeol greeted the older man with a tight hug. From behind him, four younger men showed up. Baekhyun could tell they were good friends of Chanyeol by their handshakes. That awkward moment when the person you were with talked to his friends and you just stood there, being the third wheel, trying to pretend you were not there. 

“Guys, this is Kyu…” 

“Shut up, Chanyeol. No names, dude. No names.” One of the men said. He was tall and well-built. Baekhyun could see those muscles under the simple shirt. Noticing Baekhyun’s puzzled glances, Jun Myeon intervened. 

“Hello, please don’t mind these idiots.” 

“Hey, who are you calling idiots?” Another man protested, only to make Jun Myeon ignored him. 

“We have worked with each other for a long time and there is one condition. We never use each other’s real name. Just to keep our identities secretly.” Jun Myeon explanation gave Baekhyun the chill. Who were these people whose identities couldn’t be revealed? Still, he almost laughed at the situation. He was also pretending to be someone else. He was made for this group of strangers. 

“Chanyeol had already told me about you and I’m really thankful you want to help. I’m Suho. Nice to meet you.” Jun Myeon reached out for a handshake. 

“Nice to meet you too. I’m… K,” Baekhyun thought quickly. He wondered how much Chanyeol had told this man. Did this “Suho” know about their relationship? Or did this man know his real name? After all, Chanyeol seemed like he was about to introduce Baekhyun as “Do Kyungsoo”. 

“Well, K, allow me to sum up these idiots,” Suho said, causing his friends to protest again. Suho, however, has learned to ignore them. 

“This giant here is Kris. He is one of the best weapons and explosives expert. This baby face is Xiumin. He’s by far the best hacker of our generation. Next to him is Lay, our contact person. He’s responsible for the information procurement. And last but not least Chen, he is…” Suho paused, trying to find the right word. 

“He’s kind of our bodyguard. He’ll take care of us even though we don’t always see him. He’s 100 percent reliable.” 

“So he’s a sniper,” Baekhyun thought. He could still not believe these are Chanyeol’s friends. These people aren’t anything like Chanyeol. Hacker, weapons expert, sniper? And contact person? That sounded like some CIA stuff. How did a nerd like Chanyeol get involved with these kinds of people? Those guys were more likely from Baekhyun’s world than from Chanyeol’s. 

“And you? What do you do?” Baekhyun asked, looking at Chanyeol. Was there something he didn’t know about Chanyeol? It seemed like both had kept more secrets from each other than Baekhyun thought. 

“Chanyeol is our sugar daddy and the only idiot to go by his real name.” Kris joked. 

“Chanyeol provides us with laboratories and a base. But that’s not it. He is the best forensic scientist I know.” Suho corrected Kris. “And he goes by his real name since he’s always been a public person, being his father’s son. So, there was no use for him to have a code name.” 

“We should go in, don’t you think?” Chanyeol suggested. All the talk about him was making him uncomfortable. Nodded, everyone followed him. To their luck, they bumped into no one on their way. Fitting in, going undercover would have been impossible with seven men while each having such a strong aura. 

The way from the parking garage to the “base” wasn’t long. It took only a few minutes, and they arrived at a modern laboratory with a huge smart screen. Baekhyun neither knew much about science nor investigation, but he assumed this place was modern and got all what they’d need. 

“Impressive,” Xiumin admitted and Chanyeol smiled back. 

“Suho, didn’t you call Luhan and Tao?” Kris asked, searching for his friends. 

“Yeah, where are they? I miss them,” Lay said. 

“We won’t need them this time,” Suho answered after sighing, causing frowns. 

“When have you become so optimistic?” Xiumin questioned. 

“Guys. I know you always do your best, but I want to make it clear. I expect we don’t need them this time. Understood?” 

By that, all five men, including Chanyeol, answered with a loud “Yes”. It was impossible to miss how they respected the oldest. 

“Chanyeol, who is Suho?” Baekhyun whispered to his boyfriend. 

“Oh right, he introduced everyone and forgot himself,” Chanyeol laughed. “He’s a detective. Actually, the youngest of Seoul who has ever become a detective. Maybe even of Korea.” 

“Detective?” Baekhyun mumbled in surprise. He had sensed something odd about Suho. But he didn’t know Suho was a cop. His instinct had never failed to warn him before and with this person, it didn’t even alert him for a second. Baekhyun felt a serious concern. Did he lose his instinct? Has he lived this peaceful life with Chanyeol for too long? What was happening to him? 

“And who are Luhan and Tao?” Baekhyun knew his questions were annoying. Yet, what should he do? The whole situation was weird, and he only got 10 percent of the things that were said. 

“They are coroners,” Chanyeol answered, and Baekhyun immediately understand Suho’s statement. They should find the missing person alive. Period. 

“Ok, let’s start,” Suho exclaimed, clapping his hands. Turning his head to Baekhyun, all he said was two words. Two words that literally stopped Baekhyun’s breathing. 

“Byun Baekhyun,” Suho called.


	26. ♡ Brothers

“ _Byun Baekhyun_ ”

Baekhyun flinched at the sound of his own name. He hasn’t heard it being said by others for a long time. Baekhyun could feel his heart racing in his chest, fearing the others could hear its beats too. Before he could decide what to do, Suho continued.

“That’s the missing person.”

Baekhyun breathed out, realizing Suho wasn’t calling to him, and still, his body didn’t stop shaking. As Suho started to talk about “Byun Baekhyun”, with every fact about “him” Baekhyun felt the embracement increasing. This feeling was so uneasy he couldn’t describe it, listening to all those information and details about “him”. Yet, to be honest, he wasn’t listening very carefully. His mind was set on power mood. Too many things were going on in his head. 

First, the young man in the picture was Do Kyungsoo. Baekhyun recognized him at first sight. That was undoubtedly the young man he had met at the airport, the one who gave him the red cap that led him to Chanyeol. But, how did Do Kyungsoo become Byun Baekhyun? Why was he with Jongin? 

Second, who knew what? Did Suho really think the young male in the picture was Byun Baekhyun? Or was he playing dumb as well? 

Third, even though Baekhyun understood this wasn’t a situation for sentimentality, still… Was Chanyeol aware he was staring at a picture of the man he was supposed to marry? The real Do Kyungsoo. What would Chanyeol think, if he knew? Would he prefer _this_ Do Kyungsoo over Baekhyun?

“Ok, let’s get to work. Xiumin, check the security cameras and try to reconstruct Baekhyun’s route. Start with this restaurant.” Suho said, handing the hacker a business card. 

“Lay, ask around in the underworld. Maybe someone got wind of the kidnapping. Take Chen. with you, just in case.” Lay nodded and dragged Chen along. Baekhyun hasn’t figured out that Chen guy yet. For such a harmless looking guy, Chen got an intense glare and a dark aura. In addition, the man hasn’t said a word since he arrived. 

“Kris, shadow Jongin. I don’t think he’s involved but it’s still not certain. And it’ll be good to know what he’s doing.” And with that, only Chanyeol and Baekhyun were left. 

“Chanyeol, check the hospitals and police stations until Xiumin finds the actual crime scene.”

“K,” Baekhyun almost jumped as the oldest man called his nickname. Something about Suho was intimidating, even though he looked nice and even smiled despite the circumstances. Maybe it was because Suho was the leader? Baekhyun has always had a problem with authority. Thanks to his father. 

“Can you help Xiumin with the videos? It’s better to have two people checking them.” Suho asked. 

“Of course,” Baekhyun managed to answer calmly.

Kris, Chen and Lay had left as soon as they got their tasks from Suho. Chanyeol disappeared to make one phone call after another, but not before he convinced himself that Baekhyun was ok with being alone. 

Baekhyun rubbed his eyes. He has been watching the videos for over an hour, looking for Kyungsoo to appear again. It wasn’t difficult to track Kyungsoo as he came out of the restaurant. But after he turned into a side street, they couldn’t find him again.

“Here,” Xiumin said, giving Baekhyun the eyedrops. “That’s the job. The hacking is fun, but the observation isn’t.” 

“Thank you,” Baekhyun replied. 

“Did you send Suho hyung and Chanyeol the address?” Baekhyun asked.

“Yeah, they should be there soon,” Xiumin answered, laying his hands under his chin as he looked at Baekhyun with narrowed eyes. 

“So, K…Who are you?” He asked and for the x-times that night, Baekhyun’s heart skipped a beat. 

“I have never seen Chanyeol being so close to someone. You must be someone special.” Xiumin teased. 

“Ah, I would love to go online and find out everything about you right now.” The “baby faced” man growled. Yet, as he noticed Baekhyun’s concerned expression, he added. 

“Just kidding. It’s our codex. We don’t sniff in other’s private life.” 

“Thank God, because I have so much to hide,” Baekhyun confessed with humor and Xiumin laughed out loud, taking Baekhyun’s statement as a joke. 

\-------------------------------------

Meanwhile, Chanyeol and Suho headed to the address Xiumin gave them, the side street where Kyungsoo was last seen. 

“Hyung,” Chanyeol asked carefully, trying not to sound rude. “are you sure Byun Baekhyun is kidnapped and not… just ran away or even just having fun somewhere, forgetting to call you?” 

“What do you want to say, Chanyeol?” Suho asked back. 

“I mean it’s not like you to overact only after an hour. You assumed him to be kidnapped without considering other options.” Chanyeol explained. 

“I know him very well and he would never disappear without telling me. Trust me, ok? Can we treat this as a missing case until the evidence proves us wrong?” Suho argued, and Chanyeol nodded. If this person who Chanyeol respected more than his father asked him for a favor than he’d do it. Period. 

The two men barely arrived at the “crime scene” for a minute as Chanyeol corrected himself. 

“Shit,” he said. “You’re right. Something is fishy here.” 

“I’d rather be wrong,” Suho sighed. 

“I’m sorry.” Chanyeol laid his hand on Suho’s shoulder to comfort the leader. “A fight happened here… definitely.” 

Suho nodded silently in agreement. That was what he saw too. There was no doubt Kyungsoo was taken at this place. While Chanyeol was busy taking pictures of the crime scene, Suho scanned the place, paying attention to every detail. He has been undercover for too long, he missed the classical work as a detective. Xiumin hadn’t gotten far with the videos since there was no camera in this alley. But maybe they’d find something else. They must find something. 

“Is that blood?” Suho worried as Chanyeol kneed down to take a sample of the dark liquid on the ground.

“I need to test it but… yeah pretty much.” Chanyeol answered. 

“Fuck,” Suho snapped. “What happened here?” 

Followed the blood trail, Chanyeol found a small object behind the garbage sacks. 

“Does that Byun Baekhyun guy smoke?” He asked, taking a picture of the object before packing it in an evidence bag. 

“No,” Suho answered, looking over Chanyeol’s shoulder. “Is that a tooth?” He asked. 

“Yeah, and judged by its condition, its owner must be a chain-smoker.”

“You didn’t tell us he’s a fighter,” Chanyeol stated with amusingly. 

“He is,” Suho confirmed proudly. “Being the peaceful person he is, he prefers Aikido. But I did teach boxing. Just in case.” 

“Seems like it was the case,” Chanyeol replied. 

“I hope he is ok.” 

“We’ll find him. And until then he will be fine. As you said, he’s a fighter, right?” Chanyeol encouraged his friend.

“Yeah,” Suho said. 

Getting back to work, Suho checked the area. The alley was placed next to Hongdae’s shopping street, so there were security cameras running everywhere, except for this side street. That just frustrated Suho more. Yet, his eyes lightened up, as he noticed something on the opposite building. 

“Chanyeol, look. There is a mirror,” he called, pointing at the object. 

“Let me see,” Chanyeol rushed to his friend. Seeing the mirror, he turned around, checking all the shops on the other side. 

“Maybe the mirror reflected something. Its position is perfect.” Chanyeol stated. 

“Which camera points at that building?” Suho thought out loud. 

“Must be this one,” he pointed at a French restaurant.

At times like this, he was more than glad to have Xiumin in their team. The younger could just hack the video system while the police would still be waiting for permission. It didn’t take them 30 minutes to come back to the university and Xiumin had already gotten the video they needed. The man even made it to improve the image quality, so that the little mirror was clearly recognizable. 

Suho’s heart sunk as he saw the picture on the huge screen. It showed Kyungsoo being dragged away by two men whose faces were hidden. 

“Fuck,” Suho shouted. The other men couldn’t miss his anger. 

“Do we have something else?” He asked in frustration. 

“I’m not sure. There is something on his neck. Looks like a tattoo, but we only have a part of it.” Baekhyun informed the leader. 

“Let’s have a look,” Chanyeol said and Xiumin zoomed in. 

“That’s a gang tattoo. What gang is that?” Suho asked, not expecting an answer from the younger men. 

“Send Lay the picture. He might recognize it.” Suho suggested and Xiumin did as he was told. Second later, Lay called back. 

“Don’t you have a better picture?” 

“No,” Xiumin answered. 

“Sorry guys, I haven’t seen this tattoo before. If that’s really a gang tattoo, then he’s in a small gang… I’ll ask around. Maybe someone has seen it before.”

After that phone call, everyone went back to work. They tried their best, but still, the atmosphere had changed. They seemed to realize that they were stuck. 

“Xiumin, can you rotate the picture by 90 degrees?” After the hacker granted his request, Baekhyun kept staring at the picture. By this angle, the tattoo seemed familiar to him. He got this odd feeling he had seen it somewhere long ago. But where was it?

Baekhyun decided to get a breath of fresh air as he felt his head threatening to explode. Being on the campus in the middle of the night was creepy as hell. It was like he was part of a horror movie and any moment there would be a jump scare. Baekhyun immediately regretted going out alone as he heard footsteps behind him. 

_ “This is how bitches get killed in horror movies,” _ he thought and speeded up. Not paying attention to where he went, Baekhyun tripped on the curb. He whined in pain. But the pain was nothing compared to the heart attack he almost got as he heard a voice out of nowhere. 

_ “Stand up, Byun Baekhyun,” _ it said. 

Baekhyun literally screamed as he turned around, recognizing the voice. Ghost, psychopath or serial killer? He would fight them all, but this voice belonged to a worse creature. His father. 

Baekhyun thanked God the voice was just in his head. Still, his hands were trembling. He wasn’t hallucinating. It was only a part of the memory that suddenly came to his mind.

_ “Stand up, Byun Baekhyun,” his father yelled at the twelve years old Baekhyun and the little boy wiped away his tears, standing up. The next moment a wooden ruler hit his skinny calves so hard, he fell on the floor again.  _

_ “Stand up,” his father demanded with clenched teeth. The boy did as he was told. And everything repeated until the man decided it was enough.  _

_ “Will you remember this next time?” asked his father, throwing a book at him.  _

_ “Yes,” the boy whispered, trying to hold back his crying as the book hit his chest and fell to his feet, opened. It was a handmade book that contained every information about all known gangs. His father was an old-fashioned man who believed knowing your enemies was the key to success. Baekhyun had been taught about all those gangs even before his first day of school. He had learned about their leaders, their territories, their businesses and … their tattoos.  _

“I just can’t remember a Seoul gang with that tattoo,” Baekhyun mumbled, trying his best to recalls all the lessons he had. 

_ “Remember, you always have to update your information, since gangs come and go,” _ his “uncle” used to tell him.

_ “What if it wasn’t a northern gang?” _ Baekhyun asked himself. After a moment, he finally remembered a southern gang with a tattoo that could fit the picture. Immediately he called his “uncle” for help. After being scolded for waking the old man up at this late time, he finally got the confirmation. He found the gang. He found them. 

Just as he thought he needed to tell the others the news, Baekhyun spotted Suho coming out of the building. Taking this as a chance to talk to Suho alone, Baekhyun decided to talk straightforward. He had been thinking about this since the moment he recognized Do Kyungsoo on those pictures. The last hours, he was having an uneasy feeling, struggling between telling them the truth and exposing himself or keeping his secret. Yet, despite not knowing that boy, Do Kyungsoo was still his half-brother. Despite the fact he lost his mother because of that boy, Baekhyun knew Kyungsoo needed his help. And even if he didn’t care about his half-brother, he cared about his mother. She’d cry a river if something happened to her golden boy. Therefore, Baekhyun knew the others needed to know who they were searching for. 

Suho walked in the opposite direction and had his back on Baekhyun. Thus, he hadn’t notice Baekhyun coming nearer and continued his phone call. 

“Mrs. Lee,” he said, “I promise I’ll bring Kyungsoo home. The best experts are on his case.” 

“…”

“I’m sorry.” 

“Kyungsoo will be fine. I’ll find him.” 

“ _Again, he said Kyungsoo_.” Baekhyun thought. This man knew Kyungsoo’s real identity and he knew their mom. Who was this Suho? 

“Don’t you think the others should know that this boy is not Byun Baekhyun?” Baekhyun interrupted the phone call as he couldn’t hold back anymore. Saying his own name in such a way was weird. 

“I’ll call you as soon as I got something,” Suho told Mrs. Lee and hang up. 

“What are you talking about?” He remained his poker face. 

“Suho, let’s not play this game. We both play dumb while we’re aware the other person knows the truth. I’m telling you straightforward that I know this man isn’t Byun Baekhyun. That’s my credit of trust. Can we have a straight talk now?” 

“Ok, I appreciate that. But tell me, how did you know this isn’t the real Byun Baekhyun?” 

“I just know it.” Baekhyun held back the truth. He wasn’t ready to expose everything. Not yet. 

“You just said you want a straight talk. Tell me the truth or this is getting nowhere.” 

“I know the real Byun Baekhyun, ok? And this is not him. You need to tell the others who this man is, or they won’t be able to work effectively.” Baekhyun demanded. 

“And who is this man?” Suho pushed his luck.

“Suho, I just heard you on the phone. As a detective, you should know best that it’s a huge difference who is missing.” 

“Who are you, K?” O questioned. 

“That’s not important right now.” 

“There are barely people who know how Byun Baekhyun looks like and now you tell me you know Byun Baekhyun, the heir of the Black Lotus. No way you are an ordinary man.” Baekhyun kept silent and the older man continued. 

“You’re speaking of trust but how can I trust you when you’re having such a secret? Listen, I’d entrust Chanyeol with my life, so if he says I can trust you, I will. But can _he_ trust you, K?” Suho targeted Baekhyun’s conscience. That was a classical interrogation technique which Baekhyun noticed without thinking twice. And yet, he chose to give in. 

“I know he’s not Byun Baekhyun because I _am_ Byun Baekhyun, ok?” The younger man confessed. 

* * *

**Ok, I do realize with every chapter my writing is getting more and more shitty. I'm just like... here plot, have it.**   


**But I really want to finish this story soon.**

**I started wirting this in 2013 LOL**


	27. ♡ In the dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is like "only investigation shits". I know you guys signed up for fluffs and so, but the plot demands what the plot demands.   
> Bear with me this chapter, some lovely moments will come soon. 

* * *

„I know he’s not Byun Baekhyun because I am Byun Baekhyun, ok?” The younger man confessed.

* * *

“Chanyeol, my headache is killing me. Can you get me some painkillers? I saw a pharmacy near the campus on our way.” Baekhyun asked as he came back from his walk. He wasn’t even lying. His head felt like it was ready to explode because of his conversation with Suho. 

“Sure, but you look pale. You should go home and take a rest.” Chanyeol suggested. 

“No, I’m fine. It’s my common headache.” 

“You should take a rest. I’ll call a taxi.”

“Chanyeol, can you just get me some painkillers? Please,” insisted Baekhyun and his husband nodded, leaving the laboratory right away. Little did he knew; it was just an excuse to have him gone for a while. It was a fight, convincing Suho to keep Kyungsoo’s and his identities’ switch a secret from Chanyeol. But Baekhyun succeeded. Suho wasn’t a fool and he treasured Chanyeol as his friend. Thus, he hated lying to his friend. Still, Suho appreciated Baekhyun’s honesty and his courage for telling him the truth. The older was aware Baekhyun could just go on without Chanyeol noticing his real identity, but Baekhyun risked everything to help Kyungsoo. However, Baekhyun had to promise he’d tell Chanyeol the truth as soon as the case is closed. Either Baekhyun did, or Suho would. That was the deal. 

Immediately after Chanyeol disappeared, Suho told Xiumin to arrange a video conference with the team. 

“You can’t be serious. That changes everything. We addressed the case all wrong.”

“Yeah, it’s a huge difference who is kidnapped. We’re looking for Byun Baekhyun but what if the guy got kidnapped as Do Kyungsoo? That’s a whole different game.” 

“Dude, the pool of suspects just doubles.” 

After getting a shitstorm from his colleagues for not telling them the truth from the beginning, Suho asked them to keep it a secret from Chanyeol. The team wasn’t enthused about that, but they listened to Suho anyway. Baekhyun noticed how close these men were. Obviously, they were all different and each held their own secrets. Still, they respected and cared for each other. Baekhyun couldn’t help but feel guilty for making them lie to Chanyeol.

Coming back, even just on the monitors Chanyeol noticed the odd looks his friends were giving him. 

“What’s going on? Why are we having a cyber meeting?” Chanyeol questioned as he handed Baekhyun the pills.

“You’re just in time,” Suho replied, “I’m about to inform everybody that we found out which gang the kidnappers belong to.” 

“Really? Did you find them, Lay?” Chanyeol beamed. Lay moved his eyes to Suho, asking for direction, and as the leader nodded discreetly, Lay affirmed. 

“So?” Chanyeol asked impatiently. 

“Lay just told us that the tattoo is used by a southern gang named Goben. They used to operate in the south but some of them appeared in Seoul a few months ago.” Baekhyun answered before Chanyeol could notice that Lay had no idea. Lay was listening as carefully as everyone did. 

“Do you know where they operate?” Chanyeol asked, and Lay nodded. He didn’t recognize the tattoo but indeed he had a new southern gang which suddenly showed up in the city on his radar. 

“Yes, in Yongsan” he answered.

In less than five minutes, all the four remaining in the base were already driving to Yongsan. Chanyeol lost the discussion with Baekhyun quickly as he tried to convince Baekhyun of staying at the base. “That’s a dangerous place” didn’t work on the heir of a leading gang. Yet, who was to blame? Chanyeol had no idea. 

While Lay headed to his informant to find out more about the Goben, Chen was on his way to join his friends. As they arrived, they chose to search separately. Chen went with Xiumin. Chanyeol and Baekhyun joined the leader. Like that, they walked through Yongsan’s red light district. In every corner, something was being sold, either drugs or sex or both. 

“We’re looking for a needle in a haystack,” Chanyeol said. 

“Then we need a magnet,” Baekhyun replied. At this point, he had learned Chanyeol’s language. He spoke nerd. 

“Keep an eye on the men,” Baekhyun said before approaching a woman at “work”, walking in a zigzag like a drunken man. Chanyeol was confused, but Suho knew what Baekhyun was about to do. If Baekhyun didn’t do it, Suho would have done it himself. 

“Nice ass, honey, how much?” Baekhyun asked the woman. The same moment, he squeezed her butt and she tried her best to hide her disgust. 

“150,” she answered. 

“What? You think you’re a virgin princess?” Baekhyun shouted, intended others to hear. And he got exactly what he wanted. People were looking at them now.

“How about 50?” He haggled, pulling up her skirt. “Lemme have a look.”

“What is he doing?” Chanyeol hissed, ready to stop his husband. Yet, he was held back by Suho. 

“Get lost,” the woman yelled, pushed Baekhyun away. Even though she wasn’t strong, Baekhyun pretended to fall. Getting up, he pretended to go after her madly. That was the moment a man appeared behind him, grabbing him by the neck. 

“Let go,” Baekhyun screamed, throwing a hard punch at the man. By that, another older man stepped out of the crowd full of onlookers. 

“Follow me quietly, if you don’t look for problems.” The first man said under his breath and dragged Baekhyun to the next empty dead alley, following by his colleague. However, they didn’t notice they were trailed by Chanyeol and Suho. 

“Hand over your valuables and get lost,” one of the men demanded, shoved Baekhyun to the ground. Both laughed at the sight before them. Yet, their expressions changed at once as Baekhyun got up, his body language changed on every side. He stood up straight. His eyes were clear and fierce. A smirk appeared on his face. 

“So, which one of you was busy this evening, kidnapping a kid? Or are you both involved?” Baekhyun asked with a clean voice and the men knew this was a trap. As a reflect the man who seemed to be the leader of them both pulled out his gun, pointing it at Baekhyun. 

“You’re a cop?” He asked. 

“I’m not but he is,” Key revealed Suho who was now standing right behind them, having his weapon pointing at the gang leader too. 

“Put the gun down,” he stated. 

“No, you put yours down,” said the other man, who aimed his gun at Suho. Chanyeol’s heart speeded up even more. Situations like this were the reason he didn’t want Baekhyun to tag along. Baekhyun and he weren’t made for this kind of actions. They weren’t calm as Suho was. Or that was how it should be. But as far as he could tell, Baekhyun didn’t even flinch as the scene escalated.

“Boy,” Suho addressed the man who threatened him, “judged by the way you hold that gun, I’ll blow your brain out before you could reach the trigger. Wanna find out?”

“You can’t. You’re a cop,” the younger gang member said.

“Not right now,” Suho said with such certainty, even his friends couldn’t tell whether he was serious or just very good at bluffing. Noticing the tension, the older gangster approached Baekhyun. Now standing right behind Baekhyun, he pressed his gun on Baekhyun ’s head. 

“Gun down or I’ll paint the ground with his blood,” he demanded. To his – and Chanyeol’s – surprise the iron peace of death at his head didn’t seem to bother Baekhyun a bit. Instead Baekhyun let out a burst of sarcastic laughter. 

“This is why I hate guns being carried by stupid people,” he mocked, causing the other man to snap. 

“Are you tired of living?” He pressed the cold iron harder against Baekhyun’s head. 

“See, you don’t even realize it’s on safety,” Baekhyun said, and the man immediately checked his weapon. One moment of distraction and the next thing he knew was his gun being ripped off his hand and pointed at him in the same second. Quickly, Baekhyun stepped back. 

“See? The thing about guns is that you don’t need to come close or stuffs as this could happen.” Baekhyun lectured the man, not noticing how impressed his husband was. 

“Your turn, boy. Or do you want to risk your life for your friend?” Suho questioned, and the younger criminal slowly laid his weapon down. Suho signaled him to move for the policeman wanted both gang members next to each other. 

“Well then, you still haven’t answered my question? Who kidnapped a young man this evening?” Baekhyun repeated. As both men insisted on they didn’t know anything about it, Chanyeol joined the interrogation. 

“Open your mouths,” he said. 

“Are you into some kinky gay shits?” The younger gangster asked with disgust. 

“He said open your mouths, didn’t he?” Baekhyun said through clenched teeth. 

“You heard him,” added Suho and the men didn’t have another choice. 

“There, a fresh wound.” Chanyeol spotted the missing tooth in the younger’s mouth. 

“The kidnapper lost a tooth while kidnap my friend. Got something to say?” Suho questioned. Finally, they were one step closer to finding Kyungsoo. 

“What about you? Are you involved?” Suho talked to the other man as his previous question met silence. 

“He knows nothing. I did it on my own.” The younger man spoke. 

“There were two men on the video,” Chanyeol added. 

“The other one… isn’t from the gang.” 

“And who is the other man?” Baekhyun asked. 

“I don’t know, man. He just paid me.” 

“Where did you take him?” Suho was very impatient now. He needed answers and he needed them now. Yet, the criminal kept silence once again. 

“Where is he?” Suho screamed causing Chanyeol to flinch. This side of Suho barely showed. 

“Do I look like a traitor?” 

“No, you look like an idiot. Do you even know who you kidnapped?” As an answer, the man only rolled his eye for he didn’t care. At that moment Suho knew it wouldn’t be easy to get information from this guy. 

“We’ll take him with us,” he told the older gang member, ignoring the younger’s protest. “And before you get your gang involved for this asshole, let me tell you this idiot helped to kidnap the husband of Kim Jongin.” 

“What? You messed up with the White Snake?” The older man shouted at his collogues. 

“You can take him with you. The Goben doesn’t have anything to do with this kidnapping. I swear.” He added. And with that, the three took the kidnapper to the base. As they arrived, everyone was also back, except for Kris, who still shadowed Jongin. 

Suho was an experienced detective and he did his best to get all the information from the criminal, but he still couldn’t find out where Kyungsoo was or who took him. Now, he was sure, the person who arranged the kidnapping was a big shot. The gangster would rather go to jail for a long time than betray “the boss”. Indeed, he was fearing for his life. Maybe Suho could have gotten him weak if he had more time. But Kyungsoo was running out of time.

As the older came out of the room in which they held the kidnapper, Lay noticed Suho’s struggle. Thus, he pulled Baekhyun out of the room for a private talk. 

“You need to take Suho and Chanyeol out for a coffee. Now.” He said. 

“What? It’s 3 in the morning.” Baekhyun asked confusingly.

“Then go to 7-Eleven and have a coffee there.” 

“Look, I can make him talk but Suho and Chanyeol can’t be here while I’m on it,” Lay explained when he saw the remaining questions on Baekhyun’s face, and Baekhyun immediately understood the situation. The only two people with high morals shouldn’t be around while the “expert for information procurement” did his job? Baekhyun knew what Lay was about to do, and with one second Lay appeared much darker than he seemed. 

“Are you sure you want to do it?” Baekhyun sensed that even Lay was unconformable with the plan. 

“I never want to do it, but that’s not the point.” The older man answered. Baekhyun nodded in agreement. Being born into a world of crime and violence, Baekhyun should know best that sometimes things need to be done… at any cost. 

“Ok, I’ll take them out. But… why me?” 

“Because Chanyeol wouldn’t leave you alone and Suho seems to keep an eye on you,” Lay answered straightforward. Now Key noticed that all those people, they all have an extradentary observation skills which could intimidate anyone. 

“Ok,” replied Baekhyun, not knowing how to respond to that. Yet, after a second, he added. 

“Oh, and… don’t kill him.” 

\---------------------------------

Jongin was ready to kill someone as he lost his last piece of patience. If he needed to turn over every rock in Seoul to find Baekhyun, then that was how it should be. To his luck or not, the call he was anxiously waiting for came. 

“Still looking for your lovely husband, brother?” Within a second Jongin recognized the voice on the phone. 

“Woobin, you piece of shit,” Jongin shouted in anger. He should have known his half-brother was involved in every mess of his life. 

“Where is Baekhyun?” The younger brother demanded to know. “If you lay a finger on him, I’ll break every one of your bones.” 

“This is not the time for you to threaten me, brother. I have your precious little princess,” Woobin warned, and next Jongin clearly heard Kyungsoo crying out of pain. His blood was boiled. At that moment he was sure, he’d kill Woobin for that. He wanted to yell at Woobin again but the thought of Kyungsoo being hurt again hindered him from his action. 

“What do you want?” He asked.

“Go to this address you and I’ll tell you.” Jongin looked at the screen, finding a new message. 

“If I see one man with you, I’ll cut his throat and let you watch him bleed to death.” 

Woobin stated, hanging up, and Jongin understood this was a trap. A trap that he had no choice but fall into. For Baekhyun. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also sorry for not updating last week. I'm not feeling well. My health condition is getting worse lately. I need to check up but I hate seeing the doctor LOL


	28. ♡ Countdown

Winter has just begun and yet it was already freezing. The combination of frost and wind made the biting cold unbearable. Kyungsoo regretted not wearing a thicker sweater this morning. Yet, how could he know he would be kidnapped in the same evening.

“Why are you doing this?” Kyungsoo’s question was followed by a growl of pain as Woobin handcuffed him to the heater. The younger has noticed they were in an abandoned tower which probably was supposed to become an office building. The electricity worked, but no heater was on. Inside the building it was as cold as outside. Oh, how Kyungsoo wished the heater to be on.

“Don’t take it personally, Baekhyun. It’s not about you. You just got bad luck to get involved with Kim Jongin.” Woobin answered.

“What do you want from me?” Kyungsoo asked.

“Nothing. But I need Jongin to do something for me and as you have noticed, we don’t have the best relationship.”

“And asking nicely was not an option?” Kyungsoo knew this was a stupid question. Yet, it was a good one to make the other man continue speaking.

“You aren’t that naïve, are you? You don’t ask Kim Jongin to do something for you. You blackmail him. That’s the only way to get what you want. Although I understand you know him differently. He would do anything for you, wouldn’t he? And that’s why you’re here.”

“Fuck,” Kyungsoo murmured as he understood the situation. Now he got why Woobin was so motivated to help Jongin and him develop their relationship. Kyungsoo bit on his lower lips. How could he not realize it sooner? Every time Woobin had appeared, something happened between Jongin and him. And every time, they got closer to each other. Kyungsoo couldn’t believe he was so dumb. So careless. He had left his guard down. He fucked up.

“It was quite a handful making him fall for you, still I thought it would take the Kim Jongin longer to be in love with someone else than his own self. I don’t know how you did it, but you helped me a lot. You’re quite somebody, Byun Baekhyun.” Woobin explained.

“What do you want from Jongin?”

“Spoiler alert. You’ll know it soon enough,” said Woobin as he put the tape on Kyungsoo’s mouth despite the younger’s protest. With his clogged nose Kyungsoo was having a hard to breath, still all he worried about was Jongin. The ruthless gang leader wouldn’t fall into this obvious trap, right? And for the first time, he wished Jongin didn’t care about him. For the first time he wished Jongin didn’t love him.

Why couldn’t he stay away from trouble? For his own sake. And for Jongin’s sake.

\----------------------------------------

All it took for Jongin to got to the said address was 25 minutes and yet it felt like hours. He arrived at an office complex which was abounded half-built. It wasn’t located outside of the city, and still there was barely anything around. The next building was in sight and yet it would take a while to reach it. The building itself had about 30 levels, 2 entrances and 4 emergency exits. Its electric worked. So did its security system what was unusual for an abounded place.

Entering the building and on his way to the meeting point, Jongin noticed Woobin’s men, counting them. “It won’t be easy to get through them all,” he thought. Yet that was a challenge he was ready to accept. On the 4th floor he finally found Kyungsoo. The sight of the younger boiled Jongin’s blood. Kyungsoo was handcuffed to a heater next to the glassless window, giving him no other option than sitting on the dirty cemented ground. His right hand looked broken as for it turned blue. His eyelid was ripped and bleed? Effort wasn’t required to notice the Kyungsoo’s fear. Jongin’s body moved on his own as he rushed to Kyungsoo. Yet, he barely came two steps closer as Woobin stopped him, standing between the two.

“Hello brother,” the older mocked, “you’re as fast as ever. Worried much?”

“Son of a bitch,” Jongin ‘greeted’, “What game are you playing?”

“Hand over your weapons and I’ll tell you,” Woobin stated.

Jongin didn’t bother to discuss for he had expected that to come. Grabbing for the Glock 19 behind his back, Jongin laid the gun on the floor. However, his half-brother knew him better. Without a word, Woobin pointed at Jongin’s right ankle. Sighed the younger pull out his boot knife and threw it on the floor as well.

“Satisfied, you piece of shit?” He shouted.

“Well, it’s a good start. Now, let’s get started.” Woobin said, kicking Jongin’s Glock 19 aside. Next, he pulled out his own revolver, giving it to Jongin after picking up Jongin’s knife and pressed it against Kyungsoo’s neck.

“One of you is gonna die today. Your choice, brother,” Woobin explained. “Either you blow your brain out or I’ll kill him.”

“What made you think I wouldn’t shoot you instead?” Jongin asked through clenched teeth.

“There is exact one bullet inside. You can kill me or yourself,” Woobin pointed at the man on his left, “how long do you need to run to us? Three seconds? You’re fast, let’s make it two. But I only need one to cut his throat.”

“Cunt,” Jongin yelled.

“So are you.”

Kyungsoo tried his best to figure out Woobin’s intention. It didn’t make sense at all, if all Woobin wanted was to kill Jongin, what was this whole theatre for.

Jongin picked up the revolver while his eyes were fixed on Kyungsoo. Though his eyes were filled with tears, Kyungsoo believed he saw Jongin’s lips formed the words “I love you” before the older man pointed the weapon at his own head. Kyungsoo knew Jongin was saying something to his brother but he couldn’t understand a word. Something… some noises were so loud he couldn’t hear others. He didn’t notice it was his own crying and screaming which were held back by the tape. As Jongin pull the trigger, all he could do was shut his eyes. Maybe… just maybe if he saw nothing and heard nothing, this moment wouldn’t be real. He wouldn’t be the cause of Jongin’s death.

“Did you see that?... What a shame, you closed your eyes,” Woobin’s voice challenged Kyungsoo’s effort not to throw up.

“Baekhyun,” called a voice, the only voice that could convince Kyungsoo to open his eyes at this moment. Jongin’s.

“Did you notice it?” Woobin asked again. “He didn’t even hesitate. Just to save you. What a good husband he is, isn’t he?”

“What kind of sick game are you playing?” Hearing Jongin’s voice once again made it clear to Kyungsoo that the older man wasn’t dead.

“Oh relax, brother. The gun wasn’t loaded. I just wanted to see whether you would die for Baekhyun or not. You could have made it more dramatic instead of just accept it. Where was the big farewell? The tears and shit.”

“Is that what you want? Tears and crying and a show?” Jongin asked. He needed this to end. He couldn’t bear the sight of Kyungsoo crying and being hurt any longer.

“Please, that was just the foreplay. What I want is you to sign this,” answered Woobin while one of his men handed Jongin a stack of paper and a pen. Jongin only read the first page and he knew what his brother wanted.

“Is that it? Is that what you want? The company? Is this all about money?” Jongin asked despite knowing the answer.

“Isn’t it always about money?” Woobin replied.

“Father can take back the company whenever he wants. This won’t change anything.”

“Do you really think the old man would give the company back in someone’s hands, who was stupid enough to get blackmailed? Stupid enough to hand over his legacy?”

“You and I, we aren’t his only sons.”

“No, but until Yoogeun is old enough, I’d have proven myself. Sign it, Jongin, and everything will be over.”

Jongin took the pen but stopped immediately. “You didn’t forget it, right? We will not get Yoogeun involved in our war.” Jongin reminded his half-brother of the only promise they ever made to each other years ago.

Woobin took a deep breath before answering.

“If I’d have forgotten it, don’t you think our little brother would be here today? Instead of Baekhyun? After all, a child is easier to control.”

Nooded, Jongin took a moment that ended as he signed the contract. As hard as it was for him to pull the trigger, somehow signing this was harder. Yet, he kept his poker face.

“Satisfied? Now free him,” Jongin demanded.

“You really disappointed me; you know that?” Woobin sighed. “You were willing to die and now you give up the company so easily. For what? Love? That sickens me. I was hoping you would be weakened but this? You’ve become so pathetic.”

“You’re such a shame for our family,” Woobin added before pulling out his phone, dialing a number. Next thing Jongin knew was his brother leaving the place with a bang… literally. Jongin heard the explosion and for the first time this night, his hands trembled. He needed to get Kyungsoo out of this building. He needed to do it _now_.

______________________

**30 minutes earlier**

_Baekhyun _sipped on his coffee, not noticing he had put salt instead of sugar in it. His mind was absent. For the hundred times, he checked his smartwatch, trying not to make it obvious. Thank God for the technical progress. It would have looked way too suspicious checking his phone every five minutes. To his relief, the call he waited for felt centuries finally came.

“I’m done. Come back,” Lay simply announced and that was all Baekhyun needed. He knew the other suspected something odd. Surely, they weren’t amateurs. Especially when Baekhyun suddenly insisted on getting a coffee together and just as suddenly, he wanted to get back. Still, he expected Suho to be much angrier as they got back. However, Suho seemed to know what was about to happen as he left the base with Baekhyun and Chanyeol. Maybe Baekhyun imagined it or maybe Suho accepted their method due to the circumstances. Baekhyun might never find out. Anyway, there wasn’t any time for discussion nor for a big outburst, since the only thing to do at that moment was to head to the address Lay got. May the information be reliable or not. Yet, what else did they have to lose?

The whole team followed Chen to his car which was parked outside of the campus. They found themselves in a dark and empty alley. The sound of the night rain was all to hear. The second Chen opened his trunk, Baekhyun understood why the man parked at a god-knows-where place. The trunk was full of weapons: knives, handguns, machine guns, silencers, even grenades.

“You should leave your duty weapon here. Here, take this,” Lay told the detective.

While the others were busy arming themselves, Chanyeol took advantage of the moment.

“Kyungsoo, let’s stay here. We’ll just be in their way.” Chanyeol suggested, pulling on Baekhyun’s arm.

“Wait, what? I want to help.” Baekhyun explained, yet Chanyeol didn’t even blink.

“I _can_ help,” Baekhyun argued. He wasn’t aware of the reasons for his own resistance. Surely, he wanted to help. But maybe, without knowing it, he wanted Chanyeol to see who he was. He wanted the man he married to accept who he was. And maybe… with a bunch of luck, Chanyeol would still love him.

“Look, it’s getting too dangerous for you,” Chanyeol said.

“You can’t be serious. I know how to deal with weapons.” Baekhyun insisted.

“Of course, you do. I didn’t forget,” Chanyeol replied, thinking of what just happened barely one hour ago, “But those men won’t be amateurs as the other two.”

By that Baekhyun rushed to Chen’s car, he grabbed a handgun and a silencer. Like a flash, he loaded and aimed it at the last lantern on the road. Chanyeol didn’t hear the gun but the broken bulb as its light went off.

“Is that good enough for you?” He asked while the others were still shocked by the sudden and yet impressive action.

“I like him,” Chen said, causing the other to drop their jaws. That was the first time Chen spoke since they have met. To be honest, Baekhyun had thought Chen was mute. Of course, he didn’t ask, not wanting to be rude. With Chen’s indirect approval, neither Chanyeol nor the others could doubt Baekhyun’s ability. Thus, Baekhyun accompanied the team, causing Chanyeol to have no choice but tagging along for he couldn’t imagine himself being safe and sound while his team was out to save an innocent soul. 

\------------------------------------------

On their way, Lay called, telling them Jongin had gotten a mysterious call that made the gangster boss left on his own, not taking his guards with him. Lay had followed Jongin to an abandoned building. The address Lay gave the Team confirmed their information. That was exactly where they were heading to. And for the first time that night, Suho felt a small string of hope. As soon as they arrived and finally reunited with Lay, Xiumin didn’t take long to hack the security cameras, allowing the team to have an overview of the whole situation. Right away Suho recognized Woobin and the detective understood the circumstances. This was an issue of the Choi’s family and Kyungsoo was unlucky enough to be dragged in.

“We’ve gotten a problem,” Kris tapped on Suho shoulder, pointing at the monitors. Immediately Xiumin zoomed in, revealing what concerned Kris.

“Are those …?” Suho asked and Kris nodded before the older could finish his question.

“Looks like C4 to me and see the phone? That’s pretty much the fuse.” Kris explained. Suho’s hand ran through his hair. The older sighed.

“How long do you need to defuse it?”

“I need to take a closer look, but I don’t think it would take long. The problem is there are at least six of them,” Kris counted with his fingers moving over the display, showing the leader where the bombs were placed.

“Ok, defuse the bombs and join us when you’re done. Xiumin and Chanyeol, you both stay here and keep an eye on the guards and cams for us. Lay, K and I will go to Baekhyun. Let’s bring him home.” And with that everyone shouted a clear and loud “Yes” before splitting up again.

Taking advantage of the only minute left before things got serious, Chanyeol grabbed Baekhyun’s hands, leading him to a dark corner, the only place for a bit privacy during the whole scene. And before Baekhyun knew it, Chanyeol pulled him in, locking their lips. As a reflect, Baekhyun returned the kiss while his lips formed a smile.

“Promise me, you’ll be careful,” Chanyeol pleaded.

“I promise,” replied Baekhyun, still not wanting to let go of Chanyeol’s hands.

“And you promise me not to go in there. Stay safe.” Baekhyun said.

“I can’t promise that while you’re in there and that all because of me,” replied Chanyeol.

“What did I do to deserve you?” Baekhyun said under his breath. “Still, promise me you’ll take care too.”

“As you wish,” said Chanyeol, pulling Baekhyun into a tight hug. Oh, what would he do to stop the time?


	29. ♡ 12 O'Clock

Chanyeol watched Baekhyun going in the building until the younger was out of his sight. As much as he wanted to deny the truth, fact was, he could only be a burden in there while Baekhyun was a huge help for the team. At times like this Chanyeol regretted not taking karate lessons with his sisters. Even though they were siblings, they were just the opposite of each other. While she insisted on learning material arts and going to survival camps, he enjoyed literal adventures. The only thing they had in common was doing the opposite of what their father expected for their genders – only to piss him off. But Chanyeol knew he wasn’t useless in such a situation. Knowledge is power, he needed to keep believe in that.

“Xiumin, can you show me the construction plan of the building?” He asked the hacker and inspected the plan, after Xiumin provided him with the needed information.

“Why these positions?” he murmured to himself, checking the building and the positions of the bombs.

“Those are all support columns,” after a minute Chanyeol yelled out of sudden, causing Xiumin to jump.

“What?”

“Look, those are all support columns of the building.” Chanyeol repeated.

“That means it’s supposed to collapse? The whole tower?” Xiumin asked and his friend nodded. They both grabbed for air, knowing their best friends were inside that house of cards.

“They need to get out of there in time or …” Xiumin couldn’t finish his sentence.

________________________________________

Finally, Baekhyun reached Kyungsoo and Jongin. To him it was like one of those awaited moments in video games, when you met the final boss. Jongin did have this vibe of such a character – something cold and dangerous. Yet, his first impression shattered as he saw the way Jongin covered Kyungsoo with his body the moment the gangster noticed Baekhyun. The gang leader was ready to protect his lover but also ready to attack the stranger in front of him.

“One more step and I’ll snap your neck,” threatened Jongin.

“Jongin, I’m K, a friend of Suho. I’m here to help.” Baekhyun explained, yet the boss didn’t step away. It wasn’t easy for him to trust anyone, considering the circumstances. But Kyungsoo was different. Kyungsoo was the “glass is half full” type of person. And for some inexplicable reasons, his instinct signalled him to trust this person, whom he had met only once.

“We met at the airport,” he told the stranger.

“Yes, we did,” Baekhyun exclaimed, hoping the younger to trust him. Something about Kyungsoo was mysterious. Maybe it was the way the younger stared at Baekhyun, as if his eyes were seeing through Baekhyun.

“Help me,” Kyungsoo begged, finally, “Please.”

By that Jongin allowed Baekhyun to come closer, still his body was in defence mode. Kneeing down, Baekhyun saw his half-brother up close for the first time. He didn’t pay attention last time when they had met at the airport, but this young man did look like his mother. No, their mother. His eyes are like hers, but Kyungsoo’s got different colour. Her eyes are light brown while his are deep black. Seulgi used to tell him that very intelligent people have deep black eyes. Maybe she was right.

“Can you get me out of this?” Kyungsoo asked, raising his hand as high as he could so Baekhyun could notice the handcuff. The calmness in his voice scared Baekhyun. Wasn’t he mommy’s golden boy? A prince that was protected and loved by all means? Why wasn’t he afraid in such a situation?

“Are you armed? Can you shout it open?” Jongin asked. That was what he would have done, if Woobin hadn’t taken away his weapon.

Sighed, Baekhyun shook his head.

“No, I gave mine to Suho,” he answered, thinking about what happened minutes ago.

_______________________

Thanks to Xiumin, Kris made it to the first bomb without being discovered. Baekhyun, Suho and Lay, on the other hand, weren’t that lucky. They went right into Woobin and his men just a few hundred meters before they could reach Jongin and right after the first explosion.

“Oh, look at this. Jongin’s loyal dog? Seems like he isn’t that stupid at all.” Woobin commented on Suho’s presence.

“Woobin, where are Jongin and Baekhyun?” Suho asked.

“You should get out of this building before you’re buried alive. You seem to have something on the ball. I might have a position in the company for you. You know, now that I’ve got it back.” Woobin bragged.

“Where are they?” Suho repeated through clenched teeth.

“Even Jongin’s people learn to make shitty decisions, huh?” Woobin mocked, grabbing for his weapon.

Next, the gunfight happened so fast, Baekhyun couldn’t remember how he made it to take shelter. It was rather a reflex he was “born” with. Thank god, the column was big enough for Suho and him.

“Baekhyun,” the boy flinched, hearing his real name be called. Suho, grabbed his arm, pulling him closer to whisper.

“Go, find Kyungsoo. I’ll give you cover.”

For a split second, Baekhyun wondered why he should go instead of Suho or Lay. But they didn’t have time for that. Even his breathing became shorter and shorter, as if breathing was taking too much time.

“Ok,” replied Baekhyun, getting mentally ready to run. The distance from his place to the door might be less than 50 meters. “That shouldn’t be a problem,” he thought, since he was a fast runner. Still, the challenge was making it to the door without getting shot. Taking a deep breath, Baekhyun knew he was ready. All he needed now was Suho’s signal, but that didn’t come. Instead Suho let out a growl.

“Damn it,” Suho almost yelled at his jammed gun.

“Here, take mine,” Baekhyun handed the leader his weapon. Suho look right at him for a second before taking Baekhyun’s gun.

“Ok. Go.” He demanded one more.

_______________________

“Can you open it?” Kyungsoo’s voice reminded Baekhyun of his current task.

“I’ll try,” Baekhyun answered, checking the handcuff. When he grabbed inside his jacket, his arm was immediately held back by Jongin. He hadn’t even seen it coming, as fast as Jongin reacted.

“I’m just trying to help, Jongin.” Baekhyun said. The gang leader realized Baekhyun wasn’t reaching for a weapon. Thus, he let go. Baekhyun breathed out. Next, he ripped the inside of his jacket, getting a small object which was sewed, hidden in the fabric.

“A hairpin?” Jongin asked in disbelieve.

“I have one in every of my clothes,” Baekhyun replied without looking up. One of the worst things about his father was his paranoia. And one of the few good things about his father was… his paranoia. A hairpin in every pieces of clothes was something Baekhyun learned from his old man. You never knew when you’d need to free yourself from a handcuff, but you’d be grateful to have a hairpin when you did. Baekhyun hated it when that cruel man was right. Still he was grateful.

“Ok, let’s get you out of this handcuff,” Baekhyun told Kyungsoo and for the first time that night, Kyungsoo smiled.

A minute went by, Jongin got impatient. “Can you open it or not?” He hustled.

“Hey,” Baekhyun yelled at the gang leader. His voice so clear, so determined, almost bossy. “I’m helping. You’re not. So, shut up.”

By that, Jongin threw his hands in the air, gesturing an “Ok”. Another minute passed, just as Baekhyun thought he really was out of practice, he heard a “click”. While Jongin pulled his husband up, Kyungsoo didn’t stop thanking Baekhyun. Yet, Baekhyun couldn’t understand what the younger was saying as for he was focusing on the voices in his earphone.

“We need to get out of here. Now.” Baekhyun yelled, pushing the couple that was still celebrating their reunion toward the exit.

“What’s wrong?” Kyungsoo asked.

“The last bomb couldn’t be defused. Go.” Baekhyun explained.

“The last? There were more bombs?” Kyungsoo questioned again. But Baekhyun didn’t respond to his half-brother.

“We have 2 minutes. Get him out of here.” Baekhyun demanded the gang leader. Nodded, Jongin dragged Kyungsoo to the door. Just as the couple left, Baekhyun rushed in the opposite direction, shouting into his earphone.

“What the hell, Kris? Why aren’t you leaving?”

_____________________________

Meanwhile Chanyeol was freaking out as Baekhyun still didn’t get out of the building. Everyone had left that death-trap except Baekhyun. The clock was ticking. Thus, despite Xiumin’s protest he rushed in the tower that was ready to collapse every moment. One minute and 13 seconds left, Chanyeol thought, looking at his watch only to literally bumped into one of Woobin’s man. In a split second the man took out his gun, pointing it at Chanyeol. But before the minister’s son realized what happened, someone throwing himself between the gun and Chanyeol. All Chanyeol saw was the back, and more wasn’t required to let him recognize that person. Baekhyun.

Woobin’ man pulled the trigger…

“Baekhyun,” screamed Chanyeol as a deadly cold ran though his body.

… but nothing happened.

“On safety, bitch,” mocked Baekhyun instead. The sudden circumstances distracted Woobin’s guard for a short moment which allowed Baekhyun to slap the gun off his hand. Next, they both ran as fast as they could to pick up the weapon. The person to get there first would decide who to live and who to kill. They knew it. Unfortunately, the gang member grabbed it first. Next thing Baekhyun knew was a gun pointing at his head. Again.

“Game over, bitch,” said the gangster and a shoot was heard. Or that was what Baekhyun thought. All he heard was a loud noise of shattered glasses and Chanyeol’s screaming his name.

Opening his eyes, he saw Woobin’s guard on the ground. His brain was blown out… literally. As Baekhyun noticed the broken window, he knew Chen had their back. Grabbing his husband’s hand, Baekhyun pulled Chanyeol out of the building.

“I’m sorry, my headset broke. I didn’t know you were coming for me,” Kris bowed, apologizing for putting Baekhyun and Chanyeol in danger, as the couple finally make it to escape in time.

“It’s ok. We’re fine,” replied Baekhyun.

When the team parted, Baekhyun shared a tear as he hugged everyone goodbye. Especially the one who saved his life.

Baekhyun couldn’t believe it, but the day had ended, and they were all still alive. Suho made it to arrest Woobin without Jongin getting any of that, since the boss took Kyungsoo home as soon as they got out – without showing a slight sign of thankfulness, of course. To be honest, Baekhyun was glad he didn’t have to see Kyungsoo right after such a day. He wasn’t ready for the “I am your half-brother and I am married to your supposed to be husband” conversation. That problem was tomorrow’s problem. What he needed right now was sleep but first a shower to free himself from all those sweat and dust.

“Let’s go home,” Chanyeol said, opening the car door for his husband. Nodded, Baekhyun got in. He thought the night was over but the heavy air in the car told him different

“You lied to me,” said Chanyeol and Baekhyun held his breath.

“Has Suho told Chanyeol the truth already?” Baekhyun couldn’t blame the older, but he wished he could be the one to confess.

“You promised you’d take care, but you threw yourself in front of a gun.”

“I did it to save you,” argued Baekhyun and just seconds after he noticed his stupidity.

“You think that’d make it better. If anything would have happened to you, do you think I would feel better knowing it was because of me.” Chanyeol yelled, causing Baekhyun to jump a bit from his seat. He has never seen Chanyeol being so mad. He wanted to take Chanyeol’s hand to calm the older down, but he was afraid he’d make it worse.

“Don’t be silly, Chanyeol. The gun was on safety. I saw that,” Baekhyun explained, keeping his eyes on Chanyeol. The elder’s breathing seemed to slow down with every second until Chanyeol turned his head to look at Baekhyun.

“Really?”

“Don’t you trust me?” Baekhyun tried not to lie one more.

“Can I?” Chanyeol questioned back. By that Baekhyun paled.

“Just kidding,” Chanyeol let out a laughter, “Of course I trust you,” he said.

Forced a smile, Baekhyun bit on his lip. He was going to hell for lying to this human. Thus, the messages he got the next moment sounded more like a salvation than a threat.

“We need to talk. Tomorrow. 19:15.”

Suho’s message was followed by a GPS coordinate. With that Baekhyun knew this theatre play was over. This was his last day as Do Kyungsoo.  
AN: Hi, I hope you like this chapter. Everyone, please stay home and take care. Stay healthy.


	30. ♡ Calm after the storm

“We’ve arrived,” announced the drive with his voice as low as possible, seeing Kyungsoo had fallen as sleep in the back seat. Jongin was dead tired as well, still he kept his eyes open. Having Kyungsoo back in his arms was enough for the moment. 

The drive opened the door and Jongin carried Kyungsoo to their bedroom. Sure, it wasn’t easy – even for someone like Jongin – to pick up Kyungsoo. After all, Kyungsoo wasn’t a child. But how could Jongin wake up that small human when Kyungsoo finally got some sleep after such a day? 

Laying his husband down, Jongin made sure the room was warm enough for Kyungsoo was still shivering. The more Jongin knew Kyungsoo the more fascinated Kyungsoo appeared to him. Less than an hour ago, he was crying, his hand was broken, and his life was threatened. Nevertheless, now Kyungsoo was already sleeping like it was just another day. Jongin acknowledged Kyungsoo might look innocent, yet he was tougher than anybody might think of him. If you couldn’t judge a book by its cover, then Kyungsoo was a great book with the most unexpected plot twist. 

While he was treating Kyungsoo’s wounds, his phone vibrated. 

“Woobin and some of his men escaped. We’re still looking for them. But the rest, we got them,” said the voice at the other end. 

“Good,” replied Jongin, leaving the room to not disturb Kyungsoo. 

“Keep it quiet. My father shouldn’t know about any of this. And find that rat Woobin.”

“What do you want to do with his men?”

“Interrogate them. Find every single traitor… and eliminate them all. Show no mercy.”

“No mercy,” repeated the man, hanging up. 

Next morning, Jongin was roughly woken up by the noise of shattering glass. Noticing Kyungsoo wasn’t next to him, Jongin rushed towards the source of the noises without putting on his slippers. 

“Sorry, I didn’t want to wake you up. It’s hard with only the left one,” Kyungsoo said, showing his bandaged hand. It was nearly magic how fast Kyungsoo’s voice erased Jongin’s panic. 

“Fuck,” exclaimed Jongin, breathing out as he pulled the younger in for a hug.

“Stop giving me heart attacks,” he added. 

“Jongin, I can’t breathe.” Kyungsoo said, softly pushing on Jongin’s chest. 

“Just a little more,” whispered the boss, resting his head on Kyungsoo’s shoulder. With his sound hand, Kyungsoo stroked Jongin’s back. He too enjoyed being in his lover’s embrace. Jongin’s shoulder was wide. Jongin’s body was warm, and his grip was strong. Kyungsoo felt safe when Jongin was around. 

As said, Jongin let go after a while. With care he took Kyungsoo’s broken hand. “Who did this?” he asked, “I’ll skin him.”

“Please don’t. It was me,” Kyungsoo answered.

“You?”

“Woobin’s man, I punched him in the face. He lost a tooth, but I broke my hand,” Kyungsoo explained with a shy smile. 

“Are you trying to turn me on?” 

“Ok, Mister. Just let me clean this mess first,” pointed Kyungsoo at the shards. 

“No time for that,” shouted Jongin, picking up Kyungsoo. Impatiently, Jongin threw the smaller male on the couch. Their lips locked and next thing Kyungsoo knew, he was gasping for air. 

“Wait, Jongin,” he said breathless, but the gang leader didn’t listen. 

“Jongin, stop,” Kyungsoo repeated without success. Normally Jongin was a gentle lover who always made sure Kyungsoo would feel good, but today he was different.

“I said ‘Stop’,” yelled Kyungsoo before kicking his husband, using just as enough force as needed for Jongin to fall down the couch. He thought. However, Jongin’s crash landing sounded harder than it should be. The older whined as his head bumped against the floor. 

_ “Déjà-vu,” _ he thought, _“am I dreaming again?”_

“I told you to stop.” Kyungsoo explained. 

“Damnit, what the hell?” Jongin growled. 

“I want to talk about yesterday first.”

“Talk? Right now? Are you kidding me?” Jongin asked in disbelief, rubbing his head. 

“I’m sorry… but I can’t,” Kyungsoo shook his head with guilt, “I can’t with the elephant in the room… Wow, that sounds weird.” 

Slowly Jongin approached Kyungsoo again, beware of another kick.

“What’s there to talk about? It’s over. I’ll take care of the rest and I’ll make sure something like that’d never happen again. You don’t have to be afraid.”

“That’s not what I’m worry about. Jongin, you almost die because of me,” Kyungsoo pointed out the fact, something Jongin was fearing. Neither talking nor feelings was one of his strengths. Talking about feelings was his nightmare. 

“And you almost die because of me. We’re even.” Jongin argued. 

“This isn’t a race. You literally shot yourself for me. What should I do, if you really have died, you idiot?” Kyungsoo broke into tears. Wiping his tears away, even Kyungsoo seemed to be surprised by his outburst. By that Jongin pulled the younger in for a hug one more time. 

“Don’t be silly, Baekhyun. I know Woobin, I knew it wasn’t real. I wouldn’t be a use for him, if I’m dead,” Jongin explained, pressing Kyungsoo again his chest as if he wanted Kyungsoo to feel his heartbeats, showing the younger he was alive. 

“Liar, you pulled the trigger,” Kyungsoo said through his sobbing. Naturally, Jongin hated seeing his husband crying. Still, he was relieved that Kyungsoo finally react “normally” to a trauma. Because Kyungsoo’s calmness was like ticking bomb. Jongin hadn’t known sure when or what would happen. 

“I was sure Woobin wouldn’t kill me. As much as I hate our old man, he is good for something. He would disinherit us, if we go after each other. Otherwise we’d have kill each other years ago.” Jongin wiped away the tears on Kyungsoo’s face, placing a gently kiss on his cheek. 

“But you couldn’t know that revolver wasn’t loaded.” 

“I did have a clue. I thought it was kind of Russian roulette.” By that Kyungsoo frowned. 

“Russian roulette?” He screamed and another tear fell. “You risked your life on a 1:6 chance?”

“That’s a 5:6 chance to live,” Jongin said jokingly despite the fact. 

“You’re crazy. You’re a stupid lunatic,” Kyungsoo yelled again, pushing Jongin away. Yet the older only held him tighter.

“I’m sorry I made you worry. It won’t happen again. I promise.” The gang leader told his lover. He didn’t make promises often, but he surely always kept his words. Still, if there were one single promise he could keep, he prayed to God, let it be this one. As cheesy as it sounded, he couldn’t figure out how he’d survived daily life before this small human came along, as if Kyungsoo had woken him up from a long-term coma. Never would he let go of Kyungsoo. 

For a while Kyungsoo didn’t react, until he wrapped his arms around Jongin’s waist. 

“If you ever risk your life again, I’ll kill you,” Kyungsoo warned. 

“That doesn’t make sense at all.”

“Shut up.”

“Do you know you’re the only one who can talk to me like that?”

“Shut up,” Kyungsoo repeated with a slight laughter. 

____________ >> << ____________

19: 11

„You have reached your destination,“ said the female computer voice and Baekhyun stepped on the brakes. Confused, the young man got out of his car, finding himself in the parking lot of the centre post station. Taking out his phone, Baekhyun checked one more time to make sure he had arrived at the right GPS coordinates. Indeed, he was at the right place. But this wasn’t how he had imagined it. This place wasn’t fit for a secret meeting with an undercover cop at all. There were cameras, security guards and way too many people. 

19: 13

Too more minutes. Suho should be here soon. Yet, a strange feeling told Baekhyun Suho wasn’t coming. 

He was right. 

At 19: 15 – not one second later – Baekhyun got another message with nothing but seemingly random numbers: 36718 2931. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Baekhyun mumbled. Instead of feeling annoyed, he enjoyed the code cracking game and he blamed it on Chanyeol, the nerd who had turned his life upside down. Another look at the code Baekhyun immediately noticed that it wasn’t one but two separated numbers. The first one had five digits and the second had four. It took Baekhyun a few minutes thinking before a smirk appeared on his face while he walked towards the automated booths for parcels. As expected, box number 36718 was opened with the PIN 2931. Finally having the package in his hands, Baekhyun raised his head like he wanted to praise himself. As soon as he was back in his car, Baekhyun couldn’t fight his curiosity anymore. He opened the small package and found a burner phone with exact one saved number. Now, he knew exactly what to do. 

“That was fast,” answered Suho after Baekhyun had dialled the mysterious number. 

“You do know, you have my number, right?” Baekhyun asked with sarcasm. 

“I’m not calling you on an unsecured phone, _Byun Baekhyun_ ,” replied Suho, emphasised Baekhyun’s name. 

“Paranoid, are we?” Baekhyun joked, not earning a laughter from the policeman.

“Don’t forget whom you’re married to. Chanyeol’s father is a public person and so is he.” Suho warned. 

“Touché.”

“Sorry, I’ve got too much to handle right now. I can’t see you personally.” Suho explained.

“It’s fine. You own me nothing.” Baekhyun got serious. 

“I talked to Chanyeol today,” said Suho and immediately Baekhyun struggled holding his phone. He hadn’t seen Chanyeol since the older left in the morning. How was he facing Chanyeol now? Could he even go home to Chanyeol again? He knew he didn’t have the right to be mad at Suho for not warning him, but damnit. He was mad. 

“You… did?” Baekhyun stuttered. This wasn’t how it should be. He wasn’t ready. 

“I know I should have told him the truth. I just… I couldn’t. How did he…? What did he s…”

“I didn’t tell him,” Suho interrupted, noticing Baekhyun’s uneasiness. 

“You… didn’t?” Baekhyun doubted. 

“I didn’t and I won’t. Tell him when you’re ready.”

“What?”

“I said tell him yourself when you’re ready.”

“Why?”

“I trust you. I know you wouldn’t harm Chanyeol.” Suho replied honestly. 

“How can you trust me after knowing me for one day?” Baekhyun doubted. 

“I’ve seen enough in one day. I believe someone who threw himself in front of a gun for Chanyeol wouldn’t hurt him.” 

“That… I knew the gun was on safety,” Baekhyun lied without knowing why. 

“No, you didn’t.”

“I did,” Baekhyun insisted. 

“That was what you told Chanyeol. But I saw it on the CCTV. From your position, you couldn’t have seen it.” Suho exposed Baekhyun’s lie. And after a deep breath Baekhyun gave in. 

“You’re right. I couldn’t. I didn’t want to lie but he was so worried.”

“But please don’t tell Chanyeol, ok?” Baekhyun begged. 

“About your real identity?” 

“About the gun. Chanyeol would only be mad at me again.” 

“Whatever, all your secrets are safe with me.” Suho asserted, laughed. 

Back home Baekhyun was glad Chanyeol worked longer today, since he couldn’t stop thinking of his conversation with Suho. Of course, he was relieved that Suho didn’t tell Chanyeol. Still, he realised _he_ needed to tell Chanyeol himself. But how? And when? This wasn’t a topic for dinner. 

_ “Babe, how was your day? Oh, by the way, I’m not Do Kyungsoo who you’re supposed to marry. But don’t worry, I’m just the son of a syndicate leader your father brought to jail.”  _

Baekhyun couldn’t say that, could he? Deep in his thoughts, Baekhyun hadn’t even notice when he landed in the kitchen. 

“You cooked?” Chanyeol’s voice almost caused Baekhyun a heart attack as the taller entered the kitchen. 

“You’re home,” Baekhyun greeted after calming down mentally, “and yeah, I was in the mood today.”

“Is everything ok?” Chanyeol came closer to place a soft kiss on Baekhyun’s lips. 

“Sure,” lied Baekhyun, unbutton his apron, hanging it back on the wall. 

“You only cook when you’re feeling down,” Chanyeol stated, looking at all the foods on the kitchen counter. If someone saw this, they would think Baekhyun wasn’t feeding his husband but also their non-existing 7 children. 

“That’s not true.” 

“Hey, I know you. Tell me,” Chanyeol laid his hand on Baekhyun’s cheek, causing Baekhyun to back away. Baekhyun loved the way Chanyeol caressed him. He would love to bury his face in Chanyeol’s chest right now. He’d love to feel Chanyeol’s warmth. But he couldn’t. 

_ “That’s the problem. You don’t know me, and I can’t tell.” _ Baekhyun thought as he turned his back on Chanyeol. 

“It’s nothing. I was just bored, and I wanted to try some new receipts.”

“Then we should eat before it’s cold,” Chanyeol gave in. 

“Yeah, we should.”

In the end, Baekhyun had to admit he cooked too much. They both had never eaten so much in their lives; still half of the foods were left. Only wrapping the leftover and putting them in the fridge took them almost twenty minutes. 

“How was your day?” Baekhyun asked as they both let themselves fall on the couch after cleaning up. Dinner was more quiet than normal. Baekhyun wasn’t talkative as usual. Though Chanyeol hadn’t noticed for he was deep in his thoughts as well.

“Good. But something weird happened at the university hospital today. I didn’t want to tell you that when we’re eating.”

“What happened?” Baekhyun asked curiously. 

“You won’t believe it. Someone broke into the morgue last night and a corpse is gone.” 

“Seriously? Who would do steal a corpse?” 

“It turned out that man was a gang member. The police think it’s either his own or a rival gang trying to cover up something before they obduction was done.”

_ “A gang member?“ _ It wouldn’t be someone he knew, would it? No one from his gang would be so far from home. Except for Baekhyun himself.

“I’m sorry for him. Everybody deserves respect. They couldn’t even let him die in peace,” Chanyeol shook his head in disagreement, unaware of the effect his statement had on Baekhyun. Only as Baekhyun’s silence reached an awkward length of time, Chanyeol realised the younger was staring at him. 

“Did I say something wrong?” Chanyeol worried. 

“No, you didn’t.” Baekhyun replied. How could he forget the fact that Chanyeol was Chanyeol? Park Chanyeol was someone who could feel empathy for a criminal. He was someone with a heart that was free of judgment… free of hatred. Chanyeol was someone who could understand, someone who could forgive. And all of sudden, his fears were gone; Baekhyun felt like he could do it. 

“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun gathered all his courage, “I am… I am not the person you think I am.” 

Chanyeol narrowed his eyes without saying a word, as if he’d notice how hard it was for Baekhyun to continue. Instead he gently held Baekhyun’s hand, making sure the younger knew he was there. He wasn’t running away. 

“My real name… it’s not Do Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun confessed. 


	31. 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating for so long. I just moved to another (very far away) city and I gt a new job, so yeah...

“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun gathered all his courage, “I am… I am not the person you think I am.”

Chanyeol narrowed his eyes without saying a word as if he’d notice how hard it was for Baekhyun to continue. Instead, he gently held Baekhyun’s hand, making sure the younger knew he was there. He wasn’t running away.

“My real name… it’s not Do Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun confessed.

„I’m confused,” admitted Chanyeol.

“The person you’re supposed to marry, I’m not him. I’m not Do Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun told his husband.

“Is this some kind of bad joke, Kyungsoo?” Chanyeol emphasized the name he thought belonged to the person in front of him, “because it’s not funny.”

The way Chanyeol’s eyes keep focused on him increased Baekhyun’s guilt with every second. His body moved on its own as he lowered his head, looking down to escape Chanyeol’s eyes.

“It’s a long story,” he began to explain. Once he started, his mind stopped recording anything happening around him.

“That’s impossible. Father’s colleagues picked you up from the airport and escorted you directly to the wedding.” Chanyeol refused to believe.

“I’m sorry, Kyungsoo didn’t want to appear at the wedding, so he gave me his cap. I didn’t know it was his symbol of recognition. The police thought I was him,” Baekhyun explained, still not being able to look at Chanyeol.

“But why would you pretend to be someone you’re not. You could just tell us from the beginning.”

“I was…,” Baekhyun stuttered, realizing how dumb and unreal his story sounded, “also running away from someone and I needed a ride. I didn’t know they were cops until it was too late.” Baekhyun had played this moment for hundred times in his head. He’d thought he’d be anxious, yet he was rather at ease. At this moment he realised what a huge burden this secret was. While telling Chanyeol the truth, Baekhyun hadn’t noticed the older letting go of his hand.

“Whom were you runny away from?” Chanyeol questioned.

“I,” Baekhyun looked up as if he owned Chanyeol to look at his “husband” in the eyes when he told him the truth, “I was running away from my own wedding.”

“You were engaged?” Chanyeol shouted. “No, you are engaged?”

“I… I don’t know how to tell you this.”

The older didn’t say a word, still Baekhyun understood Chanyeol demanded an explanation. And Chanyeol deserved the truth.

“I too have a father who doesn’t accept a ‘No’. I had no other choice. I knew if I was going against his will, I’d need to hide very well.”

“Who are you?” Baekhyun couldn’t help but noticed the change in Chanyeol’s voice.

“My name is Byun Baekhyun,” he told Chanyeol. Introducing his true self to Chanyeol felt so surreal.

“Byun Baekhyun?” Chanyeol repeated, “the son of Byun Taeksoo?”

Baekhyun kept silent which they both knew was a confirmation. By that Chanyeol’s body moved on its own as he backed away, growing the gap between Baekhyun and him.

Chanyeol was only two steps away, but Baekhyun wanted to chase after the older. He wanted to embrace Chanyeol, just to make sure Chanyeol wouldn’t leave. He wanted to apologize. He wanted to say so many things, but he understood Chanyeol needed time right now. Watching Chanyeol walking in circle and placing his hand on his forehead, Baekhyun patiently waited until Chanyeol finally spoke.

“Where is Kyungsoo? What have you done to him?” If words could hurt, Baekhyun believed he’d feel every single word Chanyeol said cutting his skin.

“Nothing,” Baekhyun struggled to answer. “Do you really think I would harm him?”

Please deny it, Baekhyun begged inside.

“Do you expect me to believe the heir of the Black Lotus coincidently met a billionaire’s son and unintentionally took his place to live with a minister’s son who is leading an investigation against his own father?” Now that Chanyeol spoke it out loud, Baekhyun admitted it sounded like the plot of a ridiculous amateur movie. Just then he realised how little the chance was that Chanyeol would forgive him.

“But I’m not lying,” Baekhyun fought the tears that were threatening to fall.

“How am I supposed to believe you again?” Chanyeol shook his head.

“So, now what?” Baekhyun questioned, fearing the answer he was asking for.

“Tell them everything you know. Tell them the truth.” Chanyeol’s advice brought a cold wave that hit Baekhyun hard. Every single inch of his body screamed “Run”, but he knew it was too late. He knew his instinct was relatable again because just seconds later the door flung open and three cops rushed in the house. As fast as they came, faster was the way they dragged Baekhyun with them.

“When did you…? Chanyeol?” Baekhyun couldn’t finish his sentence. He didn’t know how. How could Chanyeol do this to him?

“Chanyeol,” he shouted after that one person whom he thought he could trust while the men pushed him in a car. Yet, Chanyeol didn’t move. That was the moment he gave up. He gave up on holding those tears. He gave up on fighting those cops. He gave up on Park Chanyeol.

\-------

“So, you didn’t tell him?” Seulgi asked and Baekhyun could hear disappointment in her tone. After all the troubles he was going through, his best friend could have been more sensitive. But Seulgi wasn’t the sensitive type.

“How can I tell him after that nightmare?” Baekhyun replied, leaning against the cold window in his bedroom.

“It was just a dream. Stop being a coward.”

“You don’t understand. I can’t tell him. Everything will be over once he knows it.”

“And? How long are you gonna lie? Forever?” Seulgi pointed out the fact Baekhyun was trying to ignore.

“If you’re scared, then be prepared before telling him. Have an exit strategy.”

“You don’t get it. That’s not what I’m afraid of.” Baekhyun raised his voice.

“Then what’s the problem?” Seulgi asked. After a few seconds of silence, she realised.

“Oh… you meant it. You’re having feelings for him.” She stated.

“I think…I,” Baekhyun added, “love him.”

“Baekhyun, this isn’t a Disney film. You’re not Cinderella. There won’t be a happy end. I know it’s hard but get out before you’re hurt.” Seulgi yelled on the phone.

“I’m hanging up,” Baekhyun replied. The anger that was growing in him, he knew it wasn’t a response to her advice for he knew she was right. No, the anger he was feeling was caused by the lack of comprehension of his situation or his feelings. However, who was to blame? Who could understand what he was feeling? Who could know what he was going through? Thus, he called the only person who could understand his dilemma. Kyungsoo.

“Hyung,” greeted the younger with joy. Three days after they saved Kyungsoo, Suho arranged a meeting for Kyungsoo and Baekhyun, since Kyungsoo wouldn’t stop asking to meet his lifesaver. First, Baekhyun didn’t want to meet Kyungsoo. He didn’t want to tell mom’s golden boy they were half-siblings either for he thought it’d be easier to hate that person. But he was wrong. It was impossible to hate Kyungsoo. The way Do Kyungsoo was – humble and warm-hearted – changed his mind. Thus, he befriended the fact that he had a brother. And he enjoyed being a big brother. The moment he told Kyungsoo they were related, he believed he saw the younger’s eyes shined. Since that day, Kyungsoo was the only person who knew everything. After laughing at their own stupid mistakes, the two realised they needed each other. Baekhyun told Kyungsoo everything the younger needed to know about the Black Lotus, while Kyungsoo told Baekhyun all about being a billionaire’s son.

“Hey, Kyungsoo, how is it to be protected by the inner circle?” Baekhyun asked.

It’s been a while since Woobin kidnapped the younger. A lot had happened since then. Suho had gained Jongin’s trust by getting back the contract the boss singed from Woobin. Of course, the older hid the fact that he arrested Woobin. Thus, Jongin still believed his half-brother escaped. Since then Suho was Jongin’s most trusted one, the boss’ right hand. ‘Baby-sitting’ Kyungsoo wasn’t his mission anymore. Jongin kept his words when he said he’d protect Kyungsoo for Suho was replaced by ‘the inner circle’. As Suho explained to the younger, he himself hadn’t believed the rumors about ‘the inner circle’ as well. He was also surprised to find out that it really existed. It was said that the Kim family had their own bodyguards who had been trained since birth only to protect no one other than the Kim family members. Those elite soldiers – as Suho called them, but Kyungsoo was aware they were killers - were supposed to be orphans, living for one mission: giving their lives for the Kim. They knew nothing but loyalty to the Kim. Though they only protected blood-related family members.

Kyungsoo was the first exception.

“It’s creepy. I don’t see them, but I can feel their dark aura.” Kyungsoo joked and for a long time, Baekhyun truthy laughed again.

“I have something to disc-“ Baekhyun hung up immediately as someone slammed the door open. The noise caused him to back down. For a split second, the scene of that nightmare flashed back in his mind. As Chanyeol rushed through the door, Baekhyun should be breathing out, but he wasn’t. Something about Chanyeol was off. The tension in his expression couldn’t be missed.

“We gotta to go,” grabbing Baekhyun’s wrist, Chanyeol said.

“Where?” Baekhyun asked, allowing Chanyeol to pull him outside.

“To the hospital,” Chanyeol answered briefly.

“The hospital?” Baekhyun stopped, “Are you hurt? Are you ok?”

“It’s not me,” Chanyeol said, “it’s … a family member.”

“Your father?” Chanyeol shook his head.

“Your sister? Isn’t she in South Africa?” Again, the older denied.

“It’s your father. He is stabbed.” Chanyeol told the younger.

“Kyungsoo’s father?” Baekhyun thought? “He is in Korea? I need to call Kyungsoo.”

“My dad is in New York. Mom is with him.”

“I’m talking your father,” Chanyeol emphasized the word ‘your’ in a way that gave Baekhyun a chill.

“Your father. Byun Taeksoo,” Chanyeol added as Baekhyun didn’t respond. Immediately, Baekhyun ripped himself from Chanyeol’s grip. Backing away, he did the one thing he could do best. Lying.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Sighed, Chanyeol held Baekhyun’s both hands and he held them tighter when Baekhyun protested.

“This isn’t how I planned it to be, but we don’t have time,” Chanyeol mumbled to himself before looking up to Baekhyun.

“I know you’re not Do Kyungsoo. I know you’re Byun Baekhyun, Byun Taeksoo’s son. Your father was attacked in his cell. He is brought to the hospital right now. We need to hurry if you want to see him.” Baekhyun listened to every single word that escaped Chanyeol’s lips, but his mind rejected to believe what he heard.

“You… I…,” he failed expressing what was going inside him.

“Kyungsoo, no, Baekhyun, we need to hurry,” Chanyeol rushed.

“When? Since when do you know?”

“Since our first date,” Chanyeol answered. Baekhyun’s eyebrows lowered.

“But that’s the third day since we’ve met,” Baekhyun tried to figure out the unreal situation he found himself in.

“How?”

“You asked the waitress where the toilet was.” Chanyeol patiently explained.

“Do Kyungsoo was born in London, but he grew up in the US. He speaks American English.”

“Wait,” Baekhyun cut off, “you knew I wasn’t Do Kyungsoo because I said ‘toilet’ instead of ‘restroom’?”

“At that time, it was only a hunch.” Knowing how smart his husband was, Baekhyun shouldn’t be so surprised by this. Still, he was.

“But, how could you know I was Byun Baekhyun?”

“My father asked me to compare your DNA to Kyungsoo’s mothers. I almost believed I was wrong the whole time when I saw the test was positive until I found a match in the police database.”

“Hold on, your father had my DNA tested? And you knew that?”

“I knew it after I ran the test.”

“But my DNA isn’t in any database.” Sure, Baekhyun was arrested several times in high school. Public and underage drinking, fake ID, some fights, the list was long. However, his father’s corrupt cops had always settled everything. There wasn’t a single record about Byun Baekhyun.

“Your father’s DNA is. I checked for relatives.”

Taking a moment to handle all the information, Baekhyun soon realised that meant Chanyeol knew Kyungsoo was his half-brother. He knew everything when they were looking for the missing Kyungsoo. He knew everything all along. And Baekhyun realised something else.

“You checked my DNA in a police database after mine and Mrs. Do’s DNA matched?” Baekhyun forced a smile for he felt a ridiculous pain since he didn’t have the right to play the victim. Still, it hurt.

“I guess you did the right thing. You couldn’t trust me after all,” Baekhyun bit his lower lips. What he said was true, but how came it sounded so wrong?

“So, now what?” Baekhyun questioned. In his mind, he could see the nightmare he was so afraid of becoming real.

“Are you gonna turn me in?”


	32. ♡ By your side

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be warned that you're about to read a shitty written chapter.

“So, now what?” Baekhyun questioned. In his mind, he could see the nightmare he was so afraid of became real. “Are you gonna turn me in?”

„Why should I?“ Chanyeol asked in confusion. “Don’t you understand, Baekhyun? I don’t care what your name is. When I confessed, I meant it. I love the person standing in front of me. I love you.”

“But you don’t know me.” There it was again, the part of him that constantly kept away people who loved him. The part that was afraid to be loved. The part that kept whispering he wasn’t worth it.

“Do I not? I know you cook when you’re sad and bake when you’re happy. I know you look out for cars from both directions even when you’re crossing a one-way street. I know you like it when I play with your hair. I know you always pay attention when I talk about my boring job, even though you don’t have to. I know you said you don’t want to have children and yet you’d always smile every time you passed by a baby.”

“Do you think that’s enough? Because you know how I cross the street means you know me? You don’t know my family, my friends… or my past. What makes you believe you wouldn’t change your mind?”

“Is that what frightens you? That I would stop loving you once I get to know you?” Chanyeol replied, his lips formed a smile, but his eyes were full of sadness. “If that were true, there would have been plenty of times when I would stop being with you?”

“Which times?” Baekhyun was almost too afraid to ask.

“The time, when I know you weren’t Do Kyungsoo, when I found out you’re the heir of a syndicate or when you suddenly became Rambo?” Chanyeol shrugged off Baekhyun’s “stupid” question. His words seemed to affect the smaller male. Baekhyun wanted to believe this man in front of him. He really did.

“Don’t you see it, Baekhyun? I didn’t run away, and I won’t go anywhere. So, don’t be afraid. Show me every piece of you and I will love every single one.”

“You say ‘love’ like it’s nothing.”

“I don’t use that word inflationary. I said it because I was sure you are my soulmate and I haven’t changed my mind. Beside my family I haven’t said it anyone other than you.”

“You haven’t?”

“No, so trust me,” Chanyeol insisted, “I mean it when I said I love you. What about you? Did you mean it when you said you loved me too?”

Without thinking twice Baekhyun nodded. His head wouldn’t stop going up and down as if he was afraid Chanyeol wouldn’t believe him. And for some reason, Chanyeol was able to read his mind. The taller gently placed his hand on Baekhyun’s cheeks. Just a slight touch of Chanyeol and Baekhyun calmed down. Chanyeol’s touch warmed his whole body. At that moment, Baekhyun knew Chanyeol was right. This person was his soulmate too.

“Baekhyun,” the way Chanyeol called his real name, he still couldn’t get used to it.

“Your father. The prison director hasn’t made it public yet, but your father is badly wounded. It’s a long drive. We need to go.” Chanyeol reminded Baekhyun of the reason why they were having this conversation in the first place. After so many days full of anxiety, today could have been the best day since forever, if there weren’t his father being stabbed. Sure, he hated his father, but which son would want his father dead?

________>> <<________

As Chanyeol said, the drive was long. Yet, being alone in a car for hours was exactly what the couple needed right now. That way they could talk about everything. Everything, really. When they arrived at the hospital, there were no more secrets between them, and they had promised each other there would never be any secret again. Never in his life had Baekhyun made a promise, which he was as determined to keep as this one.

Chanyeol thought Baekhyun would rush to the reception once they arrived, but Baekhyun was calm. They had been waiting outside of the hospital for over 10 minutes and Baekhyun hadn’t said a word. Baekhyun insisted on an unobtrusive parking spot which still allowed them to have a clear sight at the entrance. At first, Chanyeol thought Baekhyun wasn’t ready to see his father considering their bad relationship, but Baekhyun didn’t seem to be lost in his thoughts. His eyes were too awake, observing everybody going in and out.

“Something is off,” he murmured.

“What’s wrong?” Chanyeol asked. He too sensed something fishy.

“I need to make a call,” said Baekhyun and dialed a number that wasn’t saved on his phone.

“Uncle,” he greeted the person on the other end of the phone, “why am I not informed about my father?”

Chanyeol was surprised how demanded Baekhyun sounded. Baekhyun didn’t say it, but his tone made it clear. He expected an explanation from his “uncle” and it better be a good one.

“I’m on my way. I’ll arrive soon.” And with that Baekhyun hanged up. Within a minute a group of five men gathered at the front door, clearly searching for someone. Each of them looked like they just came out of prison. It wasn’t just their visible tattoos but also the way they stood, the way they walked. Even the way they look at people. Everything about them screamed ‘criminal’. They weren’t wearing all black like in those gangster movies but when Chanyeol looked at them, he did see the colour black. Chanyeol was a man of science, so we would never say he could feel their aura, still if he had to describe them with one single word, it must be “dark”.

“That must be your welcoming committee,” Chanyeol commented sarcastically.

“They work for my uncle.”

“I thought your father is the leader. Wouldn’t everyone work for him?”

“Theoretically yes, but that’s not how it works. My uncle works for my father and those men work for my uncle and so on.” Baekhyun interrupted himself with a deep sigh.

“It is…,” Baekhyun hesitated to finish his sentence.

“It’s a putsch,” he finally stated. That was the moment Chanyeol decided to start the car and leave the hospital area.

“What are you doing?” Baekhyun protested.

“It’s a trap. I need to get you out of here,” replied Chanyeol, stepping on the gas.

“Chanyeol, stop the car,” Baekhyun demanded.

“Baekhyun, it’s clearly a trap. They got your father and now they want you.” Chanyeol warned but Baekhyun didn’t listen.

“I told you to stop the fucking car,” Baekhyun yelled. By that Chanyeol sighed, yet still he pulled over, knowing they had reached an acceptable distance to the hospital.

“Listen, I know you’re worried about your father, but just think about it for a second. The prison director hasn’t reported the attack and the information was already leaked to Seoul. That means someone wanted you to know about it. It must be a trap.” Chanyeol explained.

“Do you think I don’t get that? My father is in jail and his only child is far away, married to a former rival. It’s the perfect time for a putsch,” Baekhyun said, fighting against the tears which were forming in his eyes.

“I should have known it. I should never have run away. It’s my fault.” Baekhyun’s words were mixed with his sobbing. Seeing Baekhyun crying was something he couldn’t handle. Leaning over, Chanyeol embraced his lover.

“You did nothing wrong,” He tried to comfort Baekhyun. He didn’t say it, but if it had to be someone’s fault, then it must be his. Baekhyun wouldn’t have stayed, and this wouldn’t have happened if Baekhyun hadn’t met him. Yes, it was immoral, still he was glad they met.

“Chanyeol, I need to go back. I have to talk to my father,” Baekhyun said, letting go of Chanyeol. If it were up to him, he would stay protected in Chanyeol’s embrace forever. But life was a bitch.

“I understand how you feel right now. I have been in the same situation,” Chanyeol confessed, thinking of that day when a driver was suddenly sent to pick him up from school. On his ride home, even though the drive hadn’t said a word, Chanyeol still knew something terrible had happened to his mother. She had been sick for a long time. Thus, in the back seat, the young boy had prayed to God. He hadn’t prayed for a miracle recovery. No, all he’d asked for was the chance to say goodbye.

God hadn’t heard him that day.

“But at least let me make a phone call before you decide anything, would you?” Chanyeol begged. As much as he wished for Baekhyun to be spared from the same experience he had made, he was still not putting his soulmate in danger. Considering the circumstances, one of them must stay rational. And that person couldn’t be Baekhyun.

To his relief, Baekhyun agreed. It was odd, how Chanyeol knew someone who knew someone who knew another one, and the last person would be the chief of the hospital in which Baekhyun’s father was brought to. This was connection on a high level.

“Are you positive?” Chanyeol confirmed a second time before hanging up. He lowered his head. His lips formed a thin line. Immediately, Baekhyun sensed something was wrong. Chanyeol didn’t have to say it out loud. Baekhyun simply knew it. His father passed away.

________>> <<________

Chanyeol has always hated to be his father’s child. He disliked being labeled as the minister’s son. In his last high school year, Chanyeol had been brought to the hospital by an ambulance three times. The reasons were each time overworking. That was how hard he’d learned to attend his dream university, because even for a ‘genius’ – as people tended to call him – a study place at Cambridge required more than hard work. Thus, the day he got accepted at Cambridge was one of the best days in his life. That happiness hadn’t lasted long though. After the first semester, Chanyeol had already found out about his father’s abnormal generous donation to the faculty. The dean assured that the donation hadn’t affected Chanyeol’s application.

“If you’re here, then you deserved it. You made it on your own.” He said.

The next day, Chanyeol exmatriculated himself and left the city. Until then, Cambridge was something he had worked for his whole life. It had been his life goal since he could remember. But he would never know whether he would have made it on his own or not. All because he was who he was. He was his father’s son.

Chanyeol’s relationship with his father had never been great, since Mr. Park was a distanced person, even to his children. Yet, since Cambridge, their relationship had worsened dramatically. Chanyeol had promised himself to never make use of his father’s political power.

But today he was ready to break his promise… for Baekhyun.

With his father’s help, Chanyeol managed to arrange an immediate autopsy. Thus, Mr. Buyn’s body was brought to the forensic doctor right away. Chanyeol wished he could have done better. Baekhyun shouldn’t have said farewell to his father in a morgue, but Chanyeol couldn’t let the younger walk right into a trap. At least the gang members couldn’t follow them in a building that was guarded by the police.

“Try to get some sleep, ok?” Chanyeol asked as he gently laid Baekhyun down their bed, but he wasn’t really expecting an answer. Baekhyun hadn’t said a word since the morgue. He was paralyzed as soon as he saw his father. It was like his soul had left his body. He’d followed Chanyeol home. He’d drunk the chamomile tea that Chanyeol had made, and he’d changed into that pajama Chanyeol had given him. Still, he hadn’t noticed any of that at all. His mind was blank.

Chanyeol would prefer Baekhyun to cry, yet the smaller hadn’t shed a tear. But sorrow didn’t always come in tears. Sometimes it was the silence that embraced the biggest pain.

Chanyeol covered Baekhyun with the blanket and laid down next to his husband. Baekhyun had neither moved nor said anything. The light was off, and the room was even darker than normal since it was new moon. Still, Chanyeol knew Baekhyun hadn’t closed his eyes. Running his fingers through Baekhyun’s hair, Chanyeol tried to comfort the younger. He remembered when he lost his mom, he hadn’t paid attention to anything or anyone around him either. He wasn’t in a mood to talk to anybody, but because he was the older brother, he had to. Otherwise, people would “target” his sister.

“How are you?”

Oh, how he hated that question. What did people expect a child who just lost his mom to answer? Good? Bad? Would the answer change their reaction? No, it wouldn’t. Chanyeol had tested it.

“How are you?”

At that time, Chanyeol had learned how annoying that question could be and how tiresome it was to talk when all you wanted was silence. When his mom passed away, he was still a child. Thus, he didn’t want to be alone. It was easy to confuse loneliness and silence. He needed silence but he didn’t want to be alone. It would have been enough to know someone was there. But Baekhyun wasn’t a child anymore.

“Do you want to be alone?” Chanyeol asked. Baekhyun still hadn’t said a word. Yet, the moment Baekhyun reached for his hand, Chanyeol knew he was exactly where he needed to be. Right next to Baekhyun.

________>> <<________

The sunlight dazzled as Chanyeol opened his eyes. His head was spinning as for he’d slept for barely 2 hours. Rubbed his eyes, he turned his head to Baekhyun. Chanyeol could feel Baekhyun’s hand still holding his, nevertheless, a ridiculous irrational part of him feared that the other side of the bed would be empty.

Looking at Baekhyun, Chanyeol breathed out in relief. Every morning he woke up to that beautiful face and he every morning he told himself how lucky he was. But today, he wasn’t just happy, he was thankful. Chanyeol wasn’t a believer. He wouldn’t even know who he should be thankful to. He was simply grateful for another day with this person next to him.

“Have you been awake for the entire night?” Chanyeol asked. Baekhyun’s eyes were puffed and red. The younger looked even paler than yesterday.

Baekhyun was still starring at the ceiling. The younger hadn’t moved an inch, but as he felt Chanyeol’s eyes on him, Baekhyun finally spoke.

“What are they gonna do after I didn’t show up at the hospital?”

Hearing his lover’s voice again, Chanyeol could scream in happiness.

“Let’s worry about that after you got some sleep,” Chanyeol suggested, though Baekhyun didn’t seem to listen.

“They’ll go after me, of course.” The younger continued.

“You’re safe here. No one knows where you are.”

“That’s right. I’m safe. But that’d make Kyungsoo their target.” Baekhyun said as his body jumped up on its own.


	33. ♡ Three words. Eight letters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I haven't updated for so long. I don't have any excuses for that LOL

Walking into the garden, Jongin raised his head, letting the sunlight land on his skin. The sky was deep blue. Not a single cloud was in sight. The sun was shining so bright, he could forget the cold which the winter air was holding. Jongin loved the winter air. It felt fresh. He enjoyed every breath he took, especially because the air in his garden was filled with the scent of lavender. It was unseasonably for lavender to bloom in this wintertime, but somehow the cold didn’t seem to bother those small flowers. They reminded Jongin of “Baekhyun”, who took care of them. So many things about “Baekhyun” should be impossible, still that seemingly vulnerable human managed to break all the rules. He made Jongin open up. That was something Jongin wouldn’t consider to be possible, never in a million years. Being wrong was never more delightful.

“You shouldn’t worry about me right now. Jongin takes good care of me, really.” Jongin couldn’t see the smaller behind all the plants, but Kyungsoo’s voice immediately made him smile. Jongin remembered the moment, a few weeks ago, when Kyungsoo met the inner circle for the first time in his office.

“These are your new bodyguards.”

Kyungsoo bowed before introducing himself to the men standing in front of him. Six… seven, he counted. Seven men and every each of them looked strong and full of confidence despite their young age.

“Can I know your names?” Kyungsoo asked with a smile after the others didn’t respond.

“This is Seokjin, Yoongi, Hoseok, Jimin, Taehyung and Jungkook. I’m Namjoon. I lead the team,” answered the man with resistance in his voice. He didn’t care to expend any effort of hiding his scorn for the boss’ lover.

Kyungsoo didn’t need long to noticed Namjoon’s attitude towards him for the smile on his face faded away as the team leader spoke.

“I don’t need seven bodyguards. That’s too much.” Kyungsoo protested.

“They’ll work in shifts and they won’t show themselves, so you won’t even notice them. But don’t worry, they are absolutely reliable.” Jongin explained.

“But I don’t want that,” replied Kyungsoo, “I would feel observed permanently. If they must be around, I want to know where they are.”

“It’s not our duty to be considerate of your feelings. We are responsible for your safety, not your feelings.” Namjoon stated and before Kyungsoo had a chance to react, a hard punch had already landed on Namjoon’s jaw. The guard lost his balance and backed away in a split second.

“Who do you think you’re talking to?” Jongin hissed. Right after he noticed it was the boss who had knocked him down, Namjoon returned to his place, facing down, as if he was waiting for a second hit.

“I beg your pardon,” apologized the team leader as he bowed to the boss and Kyungsoo.

“I hate it when people don’t know their places,” said Jongin. He was about to teach the other man another lesson, if it weren’t for Kyungsoo who interrupted him, still holding on his arm.

“Let’s make a compromise. There would be at least one person in close proximity to me, right? Then that person doesn’t have to hide. I’d love to have someone to talk to as well.” Kyungsoo suggested.

“With due respect,” replied Namjoon, “this is not how we work.”

“Namjoon-ssi, that wasn’t a request,” Kyungsoo insisted and in the same moment, a proud smirk appeared on Jongin’s lips. Jongin remembered the first day they met. Kyungsoo was insecure and timed. He remembered the first time they touched; Kyungsoo wouldn’t stop trembling. Jongin hadn’t expected something else though since he almost broke Kyungsoo’s neck. Considering their start, it was a miracle how they ended up here. If Jongin had ever considered himself a King, then Kyungsoo had become the Queen he needed.

\-------------

“Ok, let me show you,” Kyungsoo tried to convince the person on the other end of the phone.

“Let’s say a gang would storm this house right now. How far would they come? … Jungkook-ssi,” Kyungsoo addressed the young guard, standing behind him.

Howsoever they did it, the team had chosen Jungkook to be the “visible” one. Jungkook was distanced and zero percent chatty. He was how Jongin expected a member of the inner circle to be. But if Jongin would look closer, he might notice the way Jungkook’s face light up a little every time Kyungsoo talked to him.

“That depends on how many and how well trained they are, but I guarantee no one will make it in your 300 meters radius,” answered Jungkook and Kyungsoo mouthed the words “thank you”.

“Did you hear that? So, don’t worry about me… Let me know if I can do something for you, ok?” Jongin didn’t see his partner’s face, but Kyungsoo sounded worried.

“Who were you talking to?” Jongin finally spoke as Kyungsoo ended his phone call. Hearing Jongin’s voice, Kyungsoo immediately stood up, showing himself between the flowers. Just as Jongin had thought, the smaller was wearing his garden gloves and soil was on his face. Still, when the sunlight fell on Kyungsoo’s skin and when that human smiled at him, he swore that was a sight to die for.

“A friend. He is going through a hard time,” answered Kyungsoo, taking off the gloves as he walked towards Jongin.

“When did you come home?” He asked with a smile.

“Just now,” replied Jongin while wiping off the dirt on Kyungsoo’s face with his left hand and the smaller had not missed that.

“What’s that?” Kyungsoo asked, pointed at the box Jongin was holding in his right hand.

“Cupcakes. It’s for you,” said Jongin, leading Kyungsoo to the pavilion. A single gesture from the boss and Jungkook understood it was time for him to leave.

Kyungsoo sat down on the metal seat, following Jongin. Despite the sunlight in this winter day, the seat was cold. Kyungsoo shivered as the cold wind came, bringing a cloud that slowly covered the sun. Step by step the garden was darkened by shade like the moon in a lunar eclipse.

“You’re home early and you got me cupcakes? Are you cheating on me?” Kyungsoo joked with a laughter that faded away as Jongin didn’t react.

“Are you?” Kyungsoo’s eyes widened. This time he wasn’t joking. 

“Do you think I would?” Jongin asked back.

“Of course not, I was just kidding” Kyungsoo felt guilty for asking a stupid question, ruining their perfect moment.

“I would never lie to you. What about you?” Jongin was dead serious. Kyungsoo wasn’t unfamiliar with Jongin’s sudden mood swings. Sometimes Kyungsoo wanted to tell Jongin that the taller should work on his trust issues, but fact remained he was the last person who should speak of “trust”. 

“The last thing I want is lying to you.” Kyungsoo was sincerely. He had lied… sometimes, when he had no other choice. But each and every time, he hated it. How many times had he thought of telling Jongin the truth? But this decision wasn’t for him to make. One mistake and he’d put people he loved in danger. Suho, Baekhyun and his parents. That was a risk he couldn’t take.

“Let’s go inside. You’re shivering,” Jongin suggested, taking off his coat to put it over Kyungsoo’s shoulder. The smaller enjoyed Jongin’s warmth that he could feel through the clothes. It felt like he was in Jongin’s embrace. Blame it on the beautiful weather or blame it on the lavender scent in the air. Blame it on the romantic cliché of the over-the-shoulder-coat for Kyungsoo to feel so nostalgic. Picking up his speed, Kyungsoo rushed to Jongin who was only a few steps ahead.

Jongin stopped as he felt Kyungsoo’s arms wrapping around his waist. Kyungsoo buried his head into the taller’s back. The wind was loud, but Jongin believed he could hear what Kyungsoo whispered. Three words. Eight letters.

Turning around, Jongin locked their lips; a kiss that literally was breathtaking. As they pulled away, Jongin kept his eyes shut, resting his forehead on Kyungsoo’s. He breathed in Kyungsoo’s scent, feeling Kyungsoo’s skin as he caressed the smaller’s cheek.

“Let’s eat the cupcakes tomorrow. I need a shower right now and you should join me,” Jongin said between the kisses he was placing on Kyungsoo’s neck. The smaller tilted his head backward. His breaths shortened. His heartbeats speeded up.

“Shower sounds good,” replied Kyungsoo.

\----------

Kyungsoo buttoned up his pyjama. A drop of water dripped on his shoulder for his hair was still wet. He jumped a little as he felt Jongin’s sudden presence right behind him. The taller grabbed his shoulders gently, pulling Kyungsoo backward against his bare chest.

“How about another round?” Jongin asked, nipping on the smaller’s ear. Kyungsoo closed his eyes, letting out a moan, but the next second, he pushed Jongin away.

“Control yourself, I don’t want to shower again.” By that Jongin growled in disappointment.

“Wait, where are you going?” He asked as Kyungsoo headed to the door, leaving him behind.

“Get dressed, Jongin. Let’s have dinner, I’m hungry,” shouted Kyungsoo while making his way downstairs. Sure, Jongin was disappointed, but he liked a bossy even more. That was a secret though. Jongin reached for the towel to dry his hair before getting in something comfortable. Finally dressed, he rushed down the stairs.

“Did I just lose to food?” Jongin joked, entering the kitchen. Yet, as he spotted Kyungsoo with orange cream on his lips and a half-eaten cupcake in his hand, the smile on his face faded away.

“Didn’t I tell you to eat them tomorrow?” Jongin shouted, slapping the rest of the cupcake out of Kyungsoo’s hand. The smaller stared at his empty hand, then at the deformed cupcake on the floor, unable to understand the situation.

“Sorry, I couldn’t wait. But why are you so mad?” He asked, bowing down to clean up the mess his partner just caused. Yet, before he could reach the floor, Jongin’s grabbed his arms, pulling him up. The taller was using so much force that Kyungsoo’s arms started to hurt seconds after for Jongin hadn’t let go yet.

“Ouch, Jongin, it hurts,” Kyungsoo trembled, “what’s wrong?”

“Why couldn’t you listen to me for once?” The boss hissed, shortening the distance between them until their eyes locked.

“I’m sorry,” Kyungsoo said, “you’re scaring me. What’s wrong?”

Kyungsoo breathed out in relief as Jongin, seemingly calmed down, placed his hand on Kyungsoo’s chest.

“You’re breathing,” Jongin stated as if he’d just discovered the impossible.

“…normally,” he added.

“You’re acting very strange,” Kyungsoo replied. With both hands, Jongin lifted Kyungsoo’s head, exposing the smaller’s neck. His eyes examined every part of Kyungsoo’s skin.

“You’re fine,” Jongin said through clenched teeth. A simple sentence like that shouldn’t have been spoken with such intensity

“I don’t know what’s going on, but you’re acting weird.” Kyungsoo backed away. Something about Jongin reminded him of their first encounter and that wasn’t a good sign.

“Byun Baekhyun is allergic to curcuma. Years ago, he was brought to the hospital after one sip of a curcuma drink that he thought it would be orange juice. So tell me, how are you still safe and sound?”

“The cupcakes…,” murmured Kyungsoo.

“…are full of curcuma,” Jongin finished the sentence.

Kyungsoo felt the pressure in his lungs increased as if he had forgotten to breathe. His mouth opened but no word was to hear. His throat was dry, and his lips were trembling.

“That’s because…,” he shuttered after what seemed like hours.

“Think twice before you lie to me… again,” Jongin warned, and Kyungsoo took his advice.

“I’m so sorry,” the smaller mumbled.

“You’re not Byun Baekhyun, are you?” Jongin questioned, though he already knew the answer. But he needed this person to say it, the only person he had thought he could trust unconditionally. He needed this person to confirm how his trust was abused. 

“No,” said Kyungsoo, not being able to look at the taller in the eyes. Jongin clenched his fingers into a fist, trying his best to control his anger as he stepped closer. For Kyungsoo there was no escape. He felt the hard-cold marble counter behind him and Jongin’s warm breath right before him.

“So who are you? Cop? Someone from a rival gang? Or just a whore who spreads his legs for money?” There it was, one of those moments when you said something just to regret it the second it was out of your mouth. Why did Jongin say it, knowing exactly it’d hurt Kyungsoo? Maybe he wanted the smaller to be hurt. He had no clue what he wanted, but there was one thing he knew for sure, he deserved the slap that followed the next second.

Kyungsoo’s chest went up and down in speed. Jongin could hear every breath Kyungsoo took. He could see Kyungsoo’s one hand covering his other – the hand that slapped Jongin – hindering it from trembling. He could see the tears building up in the smaller’s eyes and that made his blood boil. If there were one to cry, shouldn’t it be him? Kyungsoo wasn’t the victim here.

In a rage, Jongin dragged Kyungsoo upstairs, pulling the smaller by his wrist despite his protest. And before Kyungsoo realized what had happened, he found himself being locked in his bedroom, all alone.

“Jongin,” he shouted after the taller, “open the door.”

“Jongin, please, open the door,” he begged one more time. Yet, Jongin didn’t react. After a while, Kyungsoo wasn’t sure whether Jongin heard him or not for he couldn’t notice a sound from the outside. Jongin could have left the house and Kyungsoo wouldn’t know.

A tear fell as he turned on the light and recognized where he was. His old bedroom, the same room Jongin had locked him in when they first met. So, this was where they had come to. After everything, they had returned to where they started. Leaned against the door, Kyungsoo let his body slip down to the floor since his legs had lost every strength. He imagined Jongin would be on the other side, though he knew that was nothing but a wish. Still, he needed Jongin to know something. Three words. Eight letters.

“I am sorry,” he whispered.  
So that was the moment we have been waiting for. I hope I didn't ruin it. What do you think?


	34. ♡ Empty & Abandoned

His eyes wandered from one point to another, scanning every detail of the bedroom. Even on his first day in this room, it looked better… warmer, more welcoming. The huge bed next to the window was empty. Kyungsoo had stored the pillows and the blanket. They would only be dust magnets, he’d thought. At that time, he couldn’t imagine he would be locked up in this damned room again. Kyungsoo hadn’t been in here since he had “moved in” with Jongin. That meant since they both had begun to share Jongin’s room. Until now Kyungsoo hadn’t realized what a great job he did, moving all his stuff. Not even one of his belongings was left, neither a plant on the windowsill nor a book on the nightstand. This room was how it was supposed to be. Empty. Abandoned.

Kyungsoo shivered as he slowly felt the cold floor. He made his way to the bed. Laying down, he curled up into a ball with both arms under his head. The young man tried his best to ignore the cold, trying to make himself comfortable. At least, as comfortable as he could without blanket and pillow. His body temperature dropped as he finally fell asleep until the lack of warmth ripped him out of his sleep again. And that repeated over and over again that night, making it impossible for Kyungsoo to rest.

When the sun rose and the first morning lights found their way through the curtains, Kyungsoo was glad the night was over. Staring at the door – waiting, wishing for it to open – he had lost track of time. His eyes were open. He saw everything and yet, it felt like he was in a coma. He sensed everything around him without being able to move. Yet, as the door handle was pressed down, Kyungsoo gathered all the energy that was left in his body to sit up.

“Jongin,” he called. To his disappointment, the person entering the room was someone else.

“Jungkook,” he corrected himself.

“Where’s Jongin?” Kyungsoo added. It was rare for him to skip the greeting for he had been raised differently by his parents. “Manners were what set us apart from animals”, that was what his mother constantly told him.

“I don’t know. He’s left very early.” The young bodyguard answered, bowing down to place the breakfast he has carrying on the nightstand, bircher muesli and fruit salad, Kyungsoo’s favourite breakfast. 

“You should eat something. You haven’t eaten anything since last night.” Jungkook added and he was right. Kyungsoo hadn’t noticed the stomach cramps he was having. Considering his life was falling apart, a missed meal might be the littlest problem he had right now.

“Thank you,” Kyungsoo replied. Nodded, Jungkook turned around to leave.

“Wait,” called Kyungsoo.

“I’m sorry. I can’t let you out,” interrupted Jungkook as if he could read Kyungsoo’s mind.

Kyungsoo sighed. He knew Jungkook was his only hope to get out of this mess, but he didn’t want to cause any trouble for the young guard. What would Jongin do to Jungkook, if Kyungsoo suddenly disappear? Kyungsoo wanted to punch himself hard. He kept being a burden for the people around him. He was a mess. Despite being around gangsters, criminals and maybe even killers, he was still the most twisted one.

“Here. It’s cold, isn’t it?” Taking off his suit jacket, Jungkook handed it to Kyungsoo. The young guard couldn’t help but notice Kyungsoo’s thin pyjama and his bare feet. He wasn’t trained to take care of the people he was protecting, not in this way. Thus, he wasn’t sure if what he did was appropriate. He simply didn’t want Kyungsoo to freeze.

“Thank you,” Kyungsoo repeated.

“Baekhyun or whatever your name is, if I may give you an advice,” Jungkook said, “the boss… give him what he wants, whatever it is.” And with that the young guard disappeared, closing the door behind him.

\----- >> << \-----

It was already afternoon when Jongin arrived. It had become a habit that the first thing Jongin wanted to do once he got home was to see Kyungsoo. The smaller’s smile as he greeted him, his hugs… his kisses. Kyungsoo acted like a puppy when it saw his human coming home from work. And Jongin missed that. Kyungsoo would not be happy to see him now, but that wasn’t something he should care about, Jongin told himself.

Jongin walked upstairs. Jungkook, still standing in front of Kyungsoo’s room, bowed as soon as he saw his boss. Jongin immediately noticed Jungkook wasn’t wearing his jacket for he had never seen the younger being dressed so casually. Thus, as he entered the room, Jongin wasn’t surprised to see Kyungsoo having a black jacket over his shoulder, covering himself. Kyungsoo had leaned his head on the wall. His arms were under the thin jacket. Kyungsoo had fallen asleep sitting.

Coming closer, Jongin couldn’t keep his eyes off Kyungsoo’s face. Those lips, that nose, even his eyebrows, Kyungsoo still looked the same as yesterday. Still, something had changed. This person in front of him felt like a stranger. It was as if Jongin was looking at an alien… or a clone… a creature that looked like the person he loved, but it wasn’t.

As if the smaller could sense his presence, Kyungsoo slowly opened his eyes.

“Jongin,” Kyungsoo called. That voice. The way this person said his name. That was almost enough to make him weak, almost. As much as he wanted to pull this human into his embrace, as much as he wanted to feel Kyungsoo’s warmth against his skin, as much as he wanted to forgive, Jongin told himself to beware of this person. All his instincts were warning him, just like they had done when he’d seen Kyungsoo for the first time. He should have listened to them.

“I’m sorry,” the smaller said as their eyes locked. Jongin was standing at the end of the bed. He was barely two steps away, yet he seemed too far away for Kyungsoo to reach.

“You have no idea how little I care about your apology,” Jongin replied and Kyungsoo could immediately feel a stinging pain in his chest. 

“I didn’t want to lie to you. I really didn’t.” The smaller added.

“What you wanted doesn’t mean a thing to me.” Jongin’s voice was full of disappointment. Kyungsoo could sense it. His lips parted as he breathed through his mouth. Kyungsoo knew it was something psychological, still it felt like the air in this damned room was out of oxygen.

“What can I do?” He asked, fighting the tears those were trying to build up in his eyes.

“The only thing you can do now is telling me everything I want to know. Otherwise I can’t guarantee what’ll happen to you.” Jongin warned. The taller was distanced and unexpectedly calm. Kyungsoo should be thankful for that, but instead he would prefer Jongin to be angrier. He would prefer Jongin to scream at him. Jongin was so unconcerned; it was as if Kyungsoo hadn’t meant a thing to him. And that was what scared Kyungsoo the most.

“What do you want to know?” The smaller asked.

“Who sent you?”

“No one. It was pure coincidence. I was brought to the wedding against my will, remember? Those men you sent to the airport mistook me for Byun Baekhyun.” Kyungsoo explained, hoping for Jongin to believe him for he was telling the truth. Yet, he couldn’t even blame Jongin, if the taller wouldn’t trust him now.

“Am I supposed to believe that? Why haven’t you said something? You were married to a stranger after all.” Jongin raised his voice. The story Kyungsoo wanted him to believe was just ridiculous.

“I did tell those men I wasn’t Byun Baekhyun. Ask them,” argued the smaller.

“Then why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was about to until you… don’t you remember our first encounter? I was scared to death.” Kyungsoo reminded Jongin of the first time they met. The gangster wasn’t always a gentleman to his partner, he had to admit. Maybe Kyungsoo was right, between having Jongin’s hand strangling his neck and being threatened by the gangster boss, the smaller hadn’t had a chance to speak at all.

“And when we came closer? Why didn’t you tell me then?”

By that, Kyungsoo sighed. How often had he asked himself the same question? Only if he had found an answer to that… an answer that was acceptable.

“I,” Kyungsoo shuttered, “I couldn’t. I didn’t want to hurt your feelings.”

“Worked out well, huh?” Jongin mocked. Kyungsoo wanted to protect him from being hurt? Was that supposed to justify all the lies… the betrayal? Bullshit.

“I’m sorry,” Kyungsoo whispered one more time. Everything that he could say now would be nothing but excuses. He shouldn’t be talking himself out this mess that he had created on his own.

“Who are you? And where is the real Byun Baekhyun?” Jongin questioned as he finally moved closer until he stood right in front of Kyungsoo. The smaller couldn’t make it to look at him again. This side of Kyungsoo, he hadn’t seen it for a long time. And he hated it. Placing a finger under Kyungsoo’s chin, Jongin lifted the smaller’s head, locking their eyes again.

“Who are you?” He asked one more time, “where is the real Byun Baekhyun?”

Instead of an answer, Kyungsoo bit on his lower lip, looking away.

“Don’t make me ask again, Ba…,” Jongin interrupted himself, taking his hand off Kyungsoo. Calling this person by that name felt so wrong. Why hadn’t he felt that before?

“I don’t want to lie to you again,” Kyungsoo murmured.

“What does that mean?” Jongin said through clenched teeth. Kyungsoo could feel the anger building up in Jongin. The veins on Jongin’s neck were visible. Kyungsoo thought he could see the blood flowing in them.

“Don’t make me lie to you,” he begged, shaking his head.

“Do you think you can keep silent forever?” Jongin yelled. His hand clenched into a fist.

“Do what you want, I won’t tell you.” Kyungsoo made himself clear. He had enough of this play. He had enough of lying. He should just have shut his damned mouth instead of lying, acting like someone he wasn’t.

“You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into.” Jongin threatened and every part of Kyungsoo told him that Jongin meant it. And yet, the person he saw was still Jongin… the one he loved and the one he knew had loved him. Oh, he prayed he was right.

“I’m not afraid of you,” Kyungsoo replied.

“You should,” stated Jongin with confidence as he leaned closer, his hand that clenched into a fist moved towards Kyungsoo.

For a split second, the smaller flinched. He didn’t lie. He wasn’t afraid of Jongin. It was simply his reflex. It didn’t take longer than a second for him to realise Jongin was reaching for the jacket that had fallen off from his shoulder.

“Jongin, please, let’s talk” he called after the taller turned his back on him, heading to the door.

“About what? The only things I want to know is your real identity and where Byun Baekhyun is?” Jongin said.

“If that’s not what you want to talk about, then I don’t want to listen.” And with that Jongin slammed the door, leaving Kyungsoo behind.

Passing by Jungkook as he left the room, Jongin stared at the young guard. Jungkook was well built. He had broad shoulders. And the colour of his pants matched the jacket Jongin was holding. For some reasons, those trivial things annoyed Jongin.

“If he escapes, I’ll kill you,” Jongin warned, throwing the black jacket at Jungkook.

“And get him a blanket,” demanded the boss.

\----- >> << \-----

Despite the blanket and the pillow Jungkook gave him, Kyungsoo still had a hard time falling asleep. His body was dead tired, but his mind wouldn’t stop overthinking. His eyelids had become so heavy, he couldn’t keep his eyes open. Too bad, even with closed eyes his thoughts were still loud enough to keep him awake. The only comfort he had was the sound of the wind that was so steady, it was calming.

It was already after midnight as Kyungsoo fell asleep. Yet, one nightmare after another played with his mind. As he dreamed of being dragged into the water, not being able to breathe, his eyes flew open.

For a short moment, Kyungsoo thought he was still dreaming for what he saw was impossible. A shadow was on top of him. It leaned over, pressing him down. All his effort to break free was useless. His wrists were held down. A strong hand covered his mouth and his nose, making it impossible for him to breathe, even less screaming for help. Second by second the lack of air made it difficult for him to fight back until he felt the last strength leaving his body. His struggling stopped and his eyes slowly closed. Just a moment before he fainted, the wind blew through the window, moving the curtains for a second and allowing the moon to brighten the room. A second was enough for Kyungsoo to recognize the person on top of him.

“Jongin,” he mumbled before his eyes shut close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know you guys will hate me for doing this to Soo, but save it for the next chapter. You'd hate me even more.  
> I'll leave this here and go hiding.


	35. ♡ Your Silence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I should rate this chapter for the violence. So be warned.  
> Also, be warned that this chapter is very very very badly written. I really struggled writing this chapter, idk why.

Kyungsoo groaned even before he opened his eyes. His head was spinning as if he were having one of the worst hangovers ever. Thank God it didn’t take long for the dizziness to disappear. As soon as Kyungsoo was able to move, he immediately noticed he wasn’t in his old room. Not only did this room looked different than his own, but even the air smelled differently… somehow fresher with a touch of grass and soil. This scent was so familiar, Kyungsoo instantly knew where he was. Rushing to the window, he pulled aside the curtain. His jaw dropped as he looked outside. He was on the first floor of a single house, and it was either in the wood or in the biggest and oldest garden he had ever seen.

“What happened?” He asked himself. The last thing he remembered was Jongin scaring him to death. Why did the taller cover his nose and mouth, using so much force? When something like that happened in movies, someone was going to get murdered.

“No, there was something else,” Kyungsoo corrected himself. Jongin was holding something in his hand. The memory of last night became clearer, and Kyungsoo let out a burst of sarcastic laughter as he remembered a sweet scent which he hadn’t paid attention to… until now.

“Chloroform,” he mumbled, “are we back in the 19th century?”

At least Jongin didn’t kill him. That was a good sign. But where was he? As expected, his right brain started to scare him. What if he was sold? He was young and healthy. His organs would make a lot of money. Jongin didn’t involve himself in human trafficking, but he was a gangster after all. What if…

“No, stop,” he thought.

Luckily, his left brain was there to calm him down before he could freak out. No matter how much Jongin hated him now, the taller wouldn’t send him away for he still had something Jongin needed, Baekhyun’s whereabouts. Even if Jongin didn’t feel a thing for him anymore, Jongin would still need him. Even if Jongin had come to hate him… Oh, how afraid he was to think about that.

Lost in his thoughts, Kyungsoo forgot he hadn’t even checked the door. With care, he pressed down the door handle, trying not to make a sound. To his surprise, the door wasn’t locked. Suddenly, he felt stupid for assuming he was trapped in a room again. Slowly, he stepped out. His eyes wandered back and forth, checking every corner of the place. At first sight, it looked like an ordinary forest lodge. Although this place was big and roomy, and it had everything needed for a short stay, it didn’t feel comfortable. It had the most basic furniture that didn’t attract any attention at all. A grey couch, a wooden table, and a cupboard in the same colour, no decoration, no design, no luxury, this place was terrifically normal. Nothing about it was memorable.

Yet, as Kyungsoo took a closer look, he realized something about this house was special, or rather odd. Every window and door were made of heavy wood with a security lock. Even the door to the kitchen could be locked. It wouldn’t surprise Kyungsoo if he’d find a weapon cabinet. Still, whoever made this place had done a great job, disguising as an unspectacular wood cabin. However, Kyungsoo had been to enough vacation houses, also had he seen enough safe houses to recognize one. And this place screamed “safe house”.

“Hello?” Kyungsoo shouted after finding no one, but the next moment he regretted it. Was it even a good idea to call for somebody? He should rather run away first. By that he headed to the front door, trying to open it. Push? No? Pull? The door wouldn’t open.

“Of course not,” he thought, “but it was worth a try”.

“Even if it were open, you wouldn’t come very far.” A voice suddenly broke the silence, causing Kyungsoo’s heart to skip a beat.

“Namjoon,” Kyungsoo exclaimed as he turned around, still trying to keep his heart under control again, “why are you here?”

“I’ll keep an eye on you from now on,” the guard answered.

“You?” Out of all people, why did it have to be Namjoon? They couldn’t stand each other since their first meet, and Kyungsoo doubted that would ever change.

“You would prefer someone else, wouldn’t you? Someone like Jungkook? Someone who is easy to manipulate.” Namjoon was a straightforward person. If they met under other circumstances, Kyungsoo would have liked this man a lot. They could have been good friends.

“Of course, I’d prefer Jungkook. The boy is much nicer and funnier than you,” Kyungsoo kept that thought to himself.

“I have never manipulated Jungkook,” he replied.

“Not yet.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean you can fool Jungkook and even Jongin, but not me. You knew one day Jongin will find out about your lies and when that day comes, you would need someone on your side, someone like Jungkook. Wasn’t that the reason you wanted him to stay close to you?” Namjoon asked, and that surprised Kyungsoo. The guard had never talked so much, as long as Kyungsoo knew him. Although he had to admit the number of times they’d talked could be counted on one hand.

“You’re paranoid,” Kyungsoo replied.

“Am I? If Jungkook were here, you wouldn’t make him let you go?”

“Even if he’d let me go, I wouldn’t. I know what Jongin would do to him,” Kyungsoo argued.

“I don’t believe a word that comes out of your mouth. I have been observing you for a long time and I know what kind of person you are,” stated the guard.

“Really? What kind of person am I?” Kyungsoo hated it when people claimed to know him, for he didn’t even understand himself sometimes.

“You look harmless, almost vulnerable. That’s why people tend to underestimate you. But you’re fine with that. It makes it easier to manipulate them. You’re no angel. You know exactly how to get what you want,” Kyungsoo frowned. Namjoon made him seemed like a psychopath.

“You’re right,” replied Kyungsoo, “I don’t mind people underestimating me.”

“But I don’t like using them,” he added, although a part of him agreed with the guard. He did lie to Jongin and at some points, Jongin had done things for him, things that the old Jongin would never have done, things like risking his life for someone else.

Namjoon didn’t respond. Instead, he just rolled his eyes in disagreement and disappeared behind a closed door, which Kyungsoo couldn’t open before.

“Hey,” Kyungsoo shouted after the guard, “at least tell me where we are,” he mumbled to himself after the other was already gone. Once again, he was alone.

Kyungsoo dropped himself on the couch. He needed to think of the next step. He needed to find a way to contact Suho or Baekhyun. For a split second, he thought of Namjoon’s words. Maybe that grumpy man was right, it’d be much easier for him if Jungkook were here. Immediately he was disgusted by his own thoughts. Was he like Namjoon said? Was he a manipulative person, using people to get what he wanted?

Fact was, when he insisted on having a guard next to him, he indeed knew he needed a friend in that group of people following him step by step. Fact was, he made Jongin fall for him. He made Jongin go on a date with him to escape.

Kyungsoo felt the tears building up in his eyes as he was scared by his own actions. When did he become like this? Shutting his eyes, Kyungsoo tried to silence his mind. Overthinking was the last thing he needed right now. Kyungsoo took a deep breath. Listening to the sound of nature calmed him down bit by bit. Between the rustle of leaves and the twittering of birds, Kyungsoo suddenly noticed the sound of a vehicle. Immediately he hid in the kitchen, from where he could see the entrance. The door opened and Kyungsoo held his breath.

“Jongin,” he called, as he recognized the person at the door. Slowly he approached the taller as if Jongin were a wild animal.

“Where are we?” He added.

“You’re not in the position to ask questions, don’t you think?” Jongin replied. His voice was croaky and low. Kyungsoo couldn’t help but notice something about Jongin was different. The taller seemed stressed and somehow nervous.

“Sit down,” Jongin demanded as he pushed a wooden chair towards Kyungsoo. The small one hesitated for a moment but did as he was told. Carefully he sat down while his eyes were fixed on Jongin. The taller stepped closer until he was right in front of Kyungsoo. As Jongin bowed down, Kyungsoo leaned as far back as he could, pressing himself against the seatback. Something about Jongin was odd and Kyungsoo hadn’t figured it out yet.

“I don’t have time to play games with you, so for your own sake, tell me where Byun Baekhyun is.”

Kyungsoo looked down, not being able to maintain eye contact anymore for he knew his silence would disappoint Jongin.

“Do you see the problem? You could just say you don’t know where Byun Baekhyun was, but you haven’t even tried.” Jongin sighed. His voice was calm, but he wasn’t. Kyungsoo could sense the disappointment in Jongin’s words, and it hurt.

“I told you I don’t want to lie to you anymore,” Kyungsoo explained, though he knew Jongin would hate him for that.

“Then tell me the truth. Just tell me,” Jongin’s voice was so soft all of sudden. Something about it sounded sad to Kyungsoo as if Jongin were begging.

“I’m so sorry, I can’t.” Kyungsoo was aware his apology didn’t mean anything to Jongin, but for now, this was all he could do. This man, who had never learned to trust anybody, had opened up to him. This man, who lived in a world full of dangers, had risked his life for him. This man was no angel, and Kyungsoo knew that. Still, Jongin deserved to be loved, not being betrayed by Kyungsoo.

“If you really feel guilty, even if just for a bit, then tell me what I need to know. Tell me where Byun Baekhyun is?” Little did Jongin knew how much his words hurt Kyungsoo. Jongin hadn’t noticed his obsession with the real Baekhyun but Kyungsoo did. He hadn’t asked who the small one really was as if he didn’t care about the person in front of him anymore, as if Kyungsoo was nothing more but a medium to get what he wanted. And what he wanted was Baekhyun, not him, not Kyungsoo.

“For your own sake stop being so stubborn.” Kyungsoo flinched as Jongin yelled at him. The short distance made Kyungsoo think he just felt the vibration of Jongin’s voice.

“Don’t forget who I am and what I do for a living,” Jongin said through clenched teeth. What he said sounded like a threat.

“I won’t tell you.” Kyungsoo gathered all his guts to raise his head. He needed to look at Jongin in the eyes. He needed the taller to know he meant it. He was smart enough to know he shouldn’t provoke Jongin, but he was also smart enough to understand whatever he said would still boil Jongin’s blood. And he was right, his words caused the taller to explode. Jongin’s fingers formed a fist. His jaw clenched. Kyungsoo could hear Jongin breathing faster and faster. Next second, Jongin grabbed his wrist, dragging him to the bathroom.

“I warned you, didn’t I?” He shouted on the way. Kyungsoo’s wrist hurt, but he didn’t complain. Jongin was a very strong man, and sometimes he forgot how much force he had used. Kicked the door open, Jongin threw the small one on the floor. Jongin’s push wasn’t as hard as Kyungsoo had expected, consider how mad Jongin was. Thus, it was an embarrassment for Kyungsoo to trip on his own feet and fell like that. Facing the floor, Kyungsoo heard the water running. He turned around, but before he could stand again, Jongin had already pulled him up into a sitting position. Their faces were so close, there was no other option than looking at each other. Jongin hadn’t calmed down for a bit. His face was still as red as before.

“Tell me where Byun Baekhyun is. Don’t make me do it,” Jongin said. His hands touched Kyungsoo’s face so gently, Kyungsoo hadn’t seen that coming. Kyungsoo thought he saw the sadness in Jongin’s eyes and maybe he was right. Jongin was begging him. But what could he do? The choices were between his brother and the one he loved.

“Is he that important to you?” Jongin asked, and Kyungsoo wished he could explain their relationship.

“Yes,” he whispered since he knew his answer would annoy Jongin even more, and he was right. Raged, Jongin grabbed Kyungsoo’s upper arm so tight his nails were digging into the small one’s skin. In a split second, Kyungsoo was pushed into the bathtub. He heard the splashing as his own body met the cold water, right before everything turned into muffled noises, just as everything sounded underwater. It happened so fast, Kyungsoo couldn’t even take a deep breath. It didn’t take long until he gasped for air. He threw his arms in every direction, trying to find a hold to pull himself out of the water, but Jongin was stronger. He didn’t have a chance. He wanted to scream but it was impossible to gather enough air into his lungs. Kyungsoo could see the bubbles, that left his mouth until they become less and less. His vision started to blur, and slowly the last strength left his body. Yet, before he became unconscious, Jongin pulled him out of his nightmare. Coughed, Kyungsoo gasped for air. His chest went up and down. He could clearly hear his breathing, as loud as it was.

“Where is Byun Baekhyun?” Jongin repeated the question, while his patience started to disappear.

Kyungsoo turned his head to look at Jongin. Did the taller mean it?

He did.

Bit on his lip, Kyungsoo knew what was to come. Still, he shook his head, and everything repeated… and repeated.

Each time under the water seemed to be longer, and each time it was more difficult for Kyungsoo to hold his breath. The small one felt like crying. Maybe he was already crying. He couldn’t tell.

“Damn it. Why are you so stupid? Just tell me,” Jongin yelled. Maybe it was just his imagination, but Kyungsoo thought he heard Jongin’s voice shaking. He wasn’t sure, for he had gotten water in his ears.

“Tell me,” Jongin screamed, but Kyungsoo hadn’t changed his mind. As much as he wanted this to stop, he kept silent. This time, when Jongin pushed him into the water again, he didn’t have the strength to fight back anymore. He could barely keep his eyes open, and the pressure in his lungs grew with every second. As Jongin pulled him up, Kyungsoo let his body fall forwards, dropping himself on the floor. But instead of hitting the ground, he fell into Jongin’s arms.

“I..hm…,” the small one said under his breath. Immediately Jongin leaned closer.

“What did you say?” He asked full of hope. Kyungsoo rested himself on the taller’s chest. Placing his chin on Jongin’s shoulder, Kyungsoo turned his head to whisper into Jongin’s ear. After all, what had happened, why was he still loving the feeling of their touches?

“I’m sorry,” he whispered before everything became black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't hate me for making Nini a dick in this chapter. Let me explain... soon.


	36. ♡ My Promise

Jongin sat in his office and frowned at the message appearing on his phone.

“This is...,” he mumbled.

Why would someone send him a picture of a puppy?

“What does that mean?” He wondered, looking at the sender. At the same moment, the door to his office flung open, and his secretary stormed in.

“Look at this, the owner of the picture,” Jongin stated. Wendy paled as she saw the phone in her boss’ hand. Immediately she bowed.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Kim. I sent it to the wrong person. That would never happen again.” Her voice was shaking.

“Is that your dog?” Jongin asked, and for a short moment, Wendy hesitated to answer. She wasn’t sure she heard him correctly. Kim Jongin, her boss, was interested in her private life. This day should be documented in history.

“Yes,” she stuttered, “I adopted him last week. I wanted to send the picture to my boyfriend. I made a mistake. I’m sorry.”

To her surprise Jongin didn’t seem to be angry, instead he only nodded and told her she could leave. Closing the door, she wondered what happened to her boss who had snapped as she’d bought the wrong coffee. When you worked for Kim Jongin, you didn’t make mistakes. At least, that was what she’d believed until now.

Staring at the picture, Jongin grinned. Baekhyun loved cute things; he would love this. Jongin nodded to himself and started typing a message to the small one. Before he could finish the sentence, Wendy knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Jongin shouted, laying his phone down.

Kim, this just came in for you,” Wendy said, placing an A4 size envelope on his desk. 

“Ok,” Jongin replied.

“Oh, ahm,” he called as the secretary was about to leave.

“Yes, Sir?”

“Since when do you have a boyfriend?” He asked, not noticing the confusion on her face.

“Since last year,” she answered.

“Oh,” Jongin mumbled, “and since when do you work for me?”

“Since last year, Sir.”

“What a coincidence,” Jongin stated.

“Actually,” she corrected the boss, “it’s not. I’m going out with your bodyguard.”

“Which one?” Jongin asked curiously.

“Mr. Moon,” Wendy held back the answer for a second. She still hadn’t figure out whether Jongin would get mad or not.

“Taeil?”

“Yes, Sir.” The secretary blushed.

“Hm,” Jongin murmured, nodding.

“He is a good one,” he added.

“He is,” Wendy agreed. If it were up to her, she would end this weird conversation right now. She felt like introducing her boyfriend to her parents.

“Is there anything else I can do for you?” She questioned subtly.

“Is he treating you well?” Yeah, that was what his father would ask as well.

“Yes, he is,” she answered.

“Good,” Jongin replied, “that’s good.”

“Sir, do you need anything else?”

“No, you can leave now,” Jongin responded, and Wendy breathed out in relief, heading to the door.

Jongin leaned back in his seat, thinking of the conversation he just had. He realized he didn’t know anything about his employees. Lost in his thoughts, he stared into space until his eyes wandered to the packet on his desk. The moment he opened it; a yellow sticky note fell off.

“Are you sure the person in your house is the real Byun Baekhyun?” That was written on the note, and Jongin knitted his brow. What was this supposed to mean? Baekhyun wasn’t Baekhyun? What kind of bad joke was this?

Not wasting a second, Jongin opened the folder. It was the medical report of Byun Baekhyun. Baekhyun was allergic to curcuma? The small one had never mentioned that. Even if this were true, why would it matter? And who would send him this? Together with that suspicious note?

So, Baekhyun was allergic to curcuma. What was the deal with all the fuss? Jongin could have ignored everything. He could. He should. But he didn’t. It was too difficult for someone like him to trust. But it was too easy for someone like him to have the report fact-checked, and that was his curse. It was also his curse that the report was real.

\--- >> << \---

“Stop,” Jongin demanded when they passed by a patisserie. Immediately, the car stopped, right in front of the cake shop. The driver waited, but Jongin didn’t move. After a while, the boss sighed.

“Let’s go,” he said. Nodded, the driver did as he was told. Yet, they had barely reached the next traffic light as Jongin changed his mind.

“No, turn back.”

At least, this time he made it to enter the shop without hesitation. Yet, after he found out the shop didn’t have curcuma cake, he couldn’t help but think it was fate. The universe was telling him something, and he should listen to it. He should have trusted Baekhyun. He had left the shop, and he was almost home. At some points, Jongin wished he hadn’t come back a second time. He wished he hadn’t paid the shop to make those damned cupcakes.

As Jongin saw Baekhyun in the garden, under the sunlight, something uneasy had grown in him. The way Baekhyun turned his head to him. The way the small one smiled at him as soon as their eyes meet. The warmth Jongin felt as Baekhyun wrapped his arms around his waist. The way Baekhyun buried his head into his back, the way Baekhyun whispered those three words and the way Baekhyun’s lips fitted his perfectly, everything could have been so easy if Baekhyun were just his. If they both weren’t born into this world, if they weren’t the heir of their father’s empires, could they just be happy in love? Suddenly, Jongin was scared by his own mind. When did he become like this?

The gang leader knew he couldn’t live in this dream. It was not for him to put his feelings first. But… whatever the result would be, whatever the truth was and whoever this person was, Jongin wanted a bit more of those memories with him.

“Let’s eat the cupcakes tomorrow. I need a shower right now and you should join me,” Jongin decided.

Like he knew it would be his last time holding Baekhyun, Jongin tried to remember the feeling of Baekhyun’s skin against his. The more he loved every single moment of their time together, the more he was angry that Baekhyun hadn’t listened.

“Didn’t I tell you to eat them tomorrow?” Jongin shouted, slapping the rest of the cupcake out of Baekhyun’s hand.

“Why couldn’t you listen to me for once?” The boss hissed. They could have a little more time, just a little more before everything shattered.

“Jongin, please, open the door,” Baekhyun begged. Of all the things he had done in his broken life, nothing was as hard as this moment. Something was building in his chest, boiling in his veins, as if two persons were fighting in his body. One wanted to open that door, pulled the small one in his arms, and never let go. One wanted to beat the shit out of that liar. Jongin was frightened, no matter who would win. Backed up from that door, he needed to get away from “Baekhyun”, or whatever his name was.

Returned in his room, Jongin immediately locked the door, like someone could come in every moment and saw him being a mess. His hands trembled in anger as he grabbed his jacket that was still on the floor, looking for the syringe he had prepared. Suddenly, he felt dumb for being worried. He felt so dumb thinking Baekhyun could need it… so dumb.

“Fuck,” he screamed, throwing the medicament against the wall. Then, his eyes wandered to the vase on the nightstand, and he smashed it. The sound of glass breaking was so satisfying. It shut up his mind, and before he knew it, he was laying on the floor breathlessly. The room was no longer recognizable. Jongin spotted the only thing that was left undestroyed. Immediately, Baekhyun’s smiling face appeared on his mind.

“What’s that?” Jongin asked, staring at the weird ceramic figure the small one was holding.

“I saw this bear and I thought it looked like you, so here,” Baekhyun beamed like a child, placing that strange thing in Jongin’s hand, “it’s for you.”

“How does this,” Jongin pointed at the figure and then at himself, “look like me?”

“It’s grumpy and cute,” Baekhyun replied like it was obvious, “just like you”.

“I’m neither grumpy nor cute,” Jongin protested.

“So you don’t want it?” Baekhyun pouted.

“Give it back, if you don’t want it,” the small one raised his voice, reaching for the ceramic bear.

“Hey, you gave it to me. It’s mine.” Jongin teased, waving it in the air, knowing Baekhyun couldn’t reach it.

“But you hate it,” Baekhyun jumped up, “give it back.”

Jongin remembered the way Baekhyun pulled him down to reach for the childish toy. He remembered how much fun he had, teasing the small one. The memories made him put down the ceramic figure. It was grumpy and cute. He didn’t want to break it.

\--- >> << \---

Jongin couldn’t remember the last time he had slept as bad as yesterday. His phone’s vibration, which woke him up, was a relief.

“Why didn’t you pick up, brat?” The person on the phone screamed, and Jongin felt like his head was about to explode.

“Father,” Jongin responded.

“Have you seen the news?” The old man asked.

“No, I was sleeping.”

“Turn on your fucking TV,” demanded his father, and Jongin searched for the remote in the middle of the mess he had created last night.

“Oh shit, I see it,” Jongin replied, trying to sound as calm as he could.

“Byun Taekso, the leader of the Black Lotus, one of Korea’s largest criminal syndicate, is dead. He was attacked in his cell and was immediately brought to this hospital. 30 minutes ago, the police confirmed his death.” The reporter announced while standing in front of a hospital.

“Come home now. We need to talk about this.” His father stated, and Jongin had no other choice than do as the old man said. Nothing good had ever happened when he “came home”.

\--- >> << \---

Jongin let his body fall on the couch as he was finally home, not his father’s house but his home. He rested his arm on his head and groaned in pain when he raised it. He didn’t need to look under his shirt; still, he knew his chest and his belly were covered in bruises. His father was skilled at “disciplining”, as he called it, without leaving visible marks.

“We’ll hand him over to the Black Lotus,” his father stated.

“What? We can’t do that. They’ll kill him.” Jongin protested. Baekhyun’s, the real Baekhyun’s, uncle had taken over the gang, and Baekhyun was the last threat to him. Once the son of the former leader was dead, that shit of an uncle wouldn’t need to worry anymore.

“That wouldn’t be our problem. I don’t want another war with the south.” The old man narrowed his eyes, being unhappy with his son talking back to him.

“But he is my husband.” Before Jongin could speak again, he was already knocked down.

“Did you really think this marriage was about you? That brat was supposed to help to build an alliance. Yesterday his purpose was to be your husband and today his purpose is to die.” The former gang leader screamed while kicking his son, who was already on the floor.

Jongin clenched his teeth as his father’s words flashed through his mind. If Baekhyun, or however that human was called, must die, then it would be because Jongin wanted him to. No one else got to decide that, not even his father.

He wasn’t sure what he really felt about the fake Baekhyun, but he needed to figure it out, and to do that, “Baekhyun” needed to be alive. One thing was for sure, if the small one fell into his father’s hands, he wouldn’t survive. Jongin realized there was only one place where Baekhyun could be safe. No one, not even his closest bodyguards, knew about it, his own safe house. It was built for the case he needed to go into hiding, and chances were that he might run away from his own family. He had never doubted that he would need it one day, but he hadn’t expected he would need it for someone other than himself. He must get the small one out of this house as quiet as possible. No one should get wind of it. At moment like this, he only trusted one person, someone he trusted the most – even more than Suho.

“I’ll get the chloroform,” Namjoon stated as soon as Jongin told him his plan.

“Is that necessary?” Jongin asked.

“Would he come with us without a fight?”

“Probably,” Jongin replied in hesitation. What did he know about that person for sure? Nothing.

“Probably isn’t enough.”

“Ok, go get it,” Jongin sighed. Namjoon left immediately and came back with a brown glass bottle.

“I prepared a car that wouldn’t attract attention. We shouldn’t use your sport car.” The guard informed his boss.

“Well done,” Jongin said, and Namjoon nodded.

“I’ll go get him,” the guard replied, heading upstairs. Jongin didn’t move for a few second until he called after the bodyguard.

“Wait, I’ll do that,” he said, reaching out for the chloroform.

\--- >> << \---

As Jongin arrived at his safe house the next day, he hesitated for a short moment before going in. After he hadn’t brought Baekhyun to his father, the former leader sent his men to pick up the small one at Jongin’s house. At that time, Jongin had already hidden fake Baekhyun. He told his old man Baekhyun ran away, and his father seemed to buy it. Still, that didn’t keep Jongin from being blamed for “losing” Baekhyun. There was no need to tell how angry his father was. The bruises he’d left yesterday were nothing compared to the new ones. Jongin was aware, if he didn’t find Baekhyun, the real Baekhyun, his old man might kill him. All this for someone who had lied to him countless times? Why should he take all this for the small one? Jongin doubted.

But…

What if…

What if that person, whose name he didn’t even know, was worth it?

Whether it was for the small one or for himself, the only way for them both to get out of this mess alive was to find the real Byun Baekhyun and hand him over to the Black Lotus. It was between fake Baekhyun and real Baekhyun, and Jongin knew exactly who to choose.

Jongin used to say the only language he knew was violence, and no one would doubt that. Still, it wasn’t easy for him to raise his hands against the small one. Despite everything, feelings didn’t come and go as he liked. 48 hours ago, this person meant the world to him, and that wouldn’t change so fast.

His hands were shaking each time he pushed the small one into the bathtub, and it wasn’t because of the cold water. He wasn’t the one under water, but why was it impossible for him to breathe?

“What did you say?” He asked full of hope, as the small one finally spoke. Jongin felt how “Baekhyun” leaned against his chest, resting his chin on Jongin’s shoulder. As their skin touched, Jongin couldn’t help but close his eyes. That feeling, he had missed so much.

“I’m sorry,” the small one whispered, and his heart ached. Jongin tightened his embrace, pulling “Baekhyun” closer. He needed to feel that human’s heartbeats, or he might go crazy.

“Why are you the one apologizing?” Jongin replied, knowing “Baekhyun” couldn’t hear him.

Wasn’t he the one who should beg for forgiveness? Yes, all this, he did it to keep “Baekhyun” safe. But why did it feel like he was the one hurting “Baekhyun” the most? Just then, he remembered his promise to protect the small one. It had taken him too long, but now he realized he was going to protect this person and it didn’t matter who this person really was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter was confusing. But I hope you still understand everything. I'm curious what you think about Jongin the jerk now?


	37. ♡ Blank

Kyungsoo felt the cold wind on his skin. Immediately, his instinct told him to wake up, but under the blanket it was so warm. The bed was so fluffy and soft. It was so comfortable. He didn’t want to wake up. But… why was his heart beating that loud? Wait, that weren’t his heartbeats.

“Jongin,” Kyungsoo gasped as he noticed Jongin lying next to him. The taller had his arm wrapped around Kyungsoo’s waist as if he were afraid Kyungsoo could disappear.

Jongin was deep in his sleep and yet his eyebrows plunged into a frown. Carefully Kyungsoo straightened them with his fingertips. Why was he like this, even in his sleep? It hurt seeing the taller like this. Laying down, Kyungsoo cuddled himself into Jongin’s embrace. Moments like this made him believe nothing had changed. Still, he knew he was lying to himself. He hadn’t forgotten what happened. No, he hadn’t, but it was ok to play dumb for a short moment. Just a moment, pretending everything were fine.

“You know, I don’t even know how to call you?” Kyungsoo flinched as he heard Jongin’s voice. Having his head leaned against the taller’s chest made Jongin’s voice sounded even deeper. Kyungsoo raised his head and their eyes met.

“But you’re not telling me your name, are you?” M added, and as expected the small one kept silent. Seconds later, Kyungsoo looked away.

“Soo,” he murmured.

“What?” Jongin couldn’t hide the surprise in his voice.

“You can call me Soo. Is that enough for you?” The small one repeated and by that a smile appeared on Jongin’s lips.

“Yes, that’s enough for now.”

Something was in the air, and they both felt it. The situation felt so wrong and yet so right. The other was so close to them and yet so far away.

“Was any of it true?” Finally, Jongin said the only question he wanted to ask if it were up to him. It was never Byun Baekhyun, it was always just Soo he wanted to know about.

“When you said you loved me? Was that the truth?” Jongin finally said it out loud. The small one reached for Jongin’s hand, slowly as if he were asking for permission, and Jongin allowed him. He placed Jongin’s hand on his chest, right where his heart was.

“Can you feel it? You’re the only one who can make it beats like that.” Kyungsoo explained,

“I don’t know how else I can prove it to you.”

“That could also mean you’re afraid of me,” Jongin argued, but deep down he knew he wanted to believe Soo. He wanted to believe Soo’s heart speeded up because of him.

“I told you already. I’m not afraid of you.” Kyungsoo said with a clear voice. He meant it and Jongin should know it.

“After everything? After I…” Jongin doubted, but Kyungsoo interrupted him. Grabbing his trembling hands, Kyungsoo replied while locking their eyes.

“I’m not afraid of you and there is nothing you can do to change that.”

“Then you’re an idiot,” Jongin replied.

“If you’re the reason, then I’m fine with it.” Kyungsoo didn’t lie. He wasn’t afraid of the taller and he would never be. But he was afraid of the things Jongin would do because of him. Kyungsoo had realized it long ago; they are toxic for each other. One day they’d break each other, and that… that was what scared him.

“You said you’re sincere, but you’re still not telling me where Byun Baekhyun is. How can I believe you?” Jongin took the chance.

“If I tell you, I wouldn’t be the person you fall in love with, don’t you think?” Kyungsoo asked back, and this time it was Jongin who fell into silence until he decided to tell the small one the truth.  
“What if I tell your life depends on it? What if I tell you, it’s either your life or his?” Telling Soo the truth was easier than Jongin expected. Maybe he should have done it sooner. The boss realized he had been an idiot… a jerk.

“You don’t know it, but I owe Baekhyun hyung a lot. Every good that happened to me was paid by his pains. I haven’t known it before, so I took it for granted. But now I will not trade his life for mine.” Kyungsoo explained. It hit Jongin like a truck how little he really knew about the person he married. It sounded like there was a long story about that Baekhyun and Soo, and it needed to be told. But not now, they couldn’t afford to waste time.

“I knew you’d be like that,” Jongin said, standing up. He wondered why he did fall for this person. Soo was the complete opposite of him. Soo was loyal, gentle, and brave. Soo was the light, while he was nothing but darkness.

Yet, that was fine, if that was what he needed to be in order to protect the light. Sighed, Jongin opened the small box on the nightstand which Soo hadn’t noticed until now. Jongin had his back turned to Kyungsoo, but the small one could hear the click as the box opened.

“You don’t have to be scared,” Jongin added with a monotone voice and immediately Kyungsoo sensed danger.

“Jongin, what’s that?” Kyungsoo shuttered as the taller turned around with a syringe in his hand.

“Don’t worry. It won’t hurt.” Jongin said and Kyungsoo shook his head.

“Jongin, what is that?” The small one repeated, emphasizing every word he said.

“Something that’ll help you tell me the truth. It won’t harm you.” Jongin explained, though he knew his words wouldn’t be any comfort. And he was right. As soon as he said that, Kyungsoo jumped from the bed, and he was just glad Jongin had dressed him after he passed out, or else he would have shamed himself to death. Kyungsoo ran to a corner of the room, making the distance between them the longest possible.

“Jongin, no, you are not going to drug me,” Kyungsoo pointed with his finger, his voice was fierce. The small one sounded demanding, and Jongin understood why he fell for this tiny human. It was the strength covered in his vulnerability. Soo was someone you wanted to protect at all cost, even though you knew he could kick ass.

It was hard, still Jongin took a step forwards, then one more step and one more step. But before he could come too close, Kyungsoo pushed him away, heading to the exit. Jongin had forgotten how strong Soo actually was. Also, he had forgotten Soo was a good fighter, and indeed he regretted it the moment he grabbed Soo’s shoulder, pulling on the small one. They had never fought for real, and Soo had never thrown a punch at him. But now he understood how Soo’s kidnapper lost a tooth. The small one had a hard punch. Jongin confirmed that as it hit his stomach. Jongin could tell Kyungsoo was holding back and yet, it was enough to make him whine in pain. The injuries his father left still hurt, he wasn’t in the mood for another fight. He should end it now before he lost control and harm Soo again. With that in mind Jongin threw the syringe on the bed. Now, having both hands free, it didn’t take long for Jongin to catch the small one.

“Don’t, Jongin,” Kyungsoo struggled, pushing against his grip. Yet, Jongin held on tight. This time he would not let go.

“Jongin.” The taller looked up, as Soo called his name in a way that was unexpectedly calm.

“If you do that, I’ll never forgive you,” the small one warned, sending a cold chill through Jongin’s body. His grip weakened for a split second and Kyungsoo took the chance to break free. His head turned to the door and his feet followed, but the small one miscalculated his strength as he pulled away and lost his balance. Jongin reached out for Soo as the other fell forwards. It was like a scene in those movies. He could see Soo falling so clearly as if they were in slow motion. Soo was right in front of him, but he couldn’t reach the small one. Then a loud crash brought him back to reality as Jongin realized Soo had bumped his head hard against the nightstand.

“Baekhyun,” he called, and in speed he rushed over. The small one lay there, facing the floor, unmoving. Carefully, Jongin turned Soo around, while fighting against the fear he could hurt the other. The shook hit him as he saw the blood on Soo’s face. There was a cut on his forehead, just millimeters above his right eyebrow. The cut was so deep, blood dropped into Soo’s eyes. As Jongin pulled Kyungsoo into his arms, the small one tugged at his sleeve.

“Don’t,” Soo repeated, but his eyes closed before he could finish the sentence. Jongin bit on his lips. He knew what Soo wanted to say.

“If you do that, I’ll never forgive you.”

But he couldn’t hurt that boy again, so if the drug was the only way, then he should never be forgiven.

\--- << >> \---

Jongin held his breath. With every stitch Dr. Song put on Soo’s forehead, and the way the needle pierced in the small one’s skin, Jongin could feel the pain as if it were his own. He shouldn’t be, but he was glad Soo was unconscious. Thus, the small one wouldn’t feel the pain. Only as the last stitch was done, Jongin breathed out.

“This will leave a scar, but once it’s healed, he can remove it with a laser therapy, if he wants to.” The doctor explained, and Jongin nodded.

“Will he be ok?” Jongin asked.

“Except for the cut on his forehead, everything else seems fine. But I can’t tell for sure until he wakes up.”

“When will he wake up?”

“I don’t know. We’ll have to wait,” the doctor answered. Jongin sighed. He was never a patient one.

“You should stop doing that.” Dr. Song said out of the blue. Her voice was full of concerns and Jongin had no idea what she meant. As the boss reacted with confusion, she added.

“Since you two got married he got his leg broken, then his hand and now this? His leg just healed, and his hand must still hurt. You should stop being so rough with him. Do you want to kill the poor boy?”

Jongin felt like he was being scolded by his mother. Since he could remember, Dr. Song was always there every time he was sick or every time he got hurt. She was more like a mother to him than his own mother was. Thus, he didn’t want her to think of him as an abusive husband. He didn’t mind her thinking of him as a violent person. After all, she knew who he was. She knew what he did for a living. Yet, he didn’t want her to think of him as someone who abuse his loved ones. Yet, before he could explain himself, a soft groan caught their both attentions. Immediately, they turned to Kyungsoo, who just opened his eyes. The small one instinctively touched the cut on his forehead.

“No, don’t touch it,” Dr. Song rushed over, grabbing Kyungsoo’s hand to stop him.

“It hurts,” Kyungsoo said under his breath as he sat up.

“I know. Here, take those painkillers. You should feel better soon.” The doctor handed him two pills. Kyungsoo stared at the woman in front of him for a moment before swallowing the pills. Something in Kyungsoo’s eyes was different, and Jongin could sense that. The small one looked at the doctor as if he were trying to figure out whether to trust her or not.

“How are you feeling?” Being impatient, Jongin asked, stealing the doctor’s line. Kyungsoo slightly flinched at Jongin’s voice. The small one seemed surprised like he hadn’t noticed Jongin’s presence. Jongin immediately felt Soo’s eyes on him. The small one was scanning him from head to toe as if he were searching for something. Then, the disappointment in his face showed he hadn’t found it.

“Who are you?” Kyungsoo asked, looking at Jongin like he had never seen the taller before. Jongin widened his eyes. The taller slowly approached Kyungsoo. He wanted to run towards Soo, but he didn’t want to scare the small one. Soo already looked so lost.

Dr. Song was as worried as the boss. With the flashlight in her pocket, she checked Kyungsoo’s pupils.

“Do you know where you are?” She asked. It was just a simple question, but it made the small one frown.

“I,” he stuttered, “I don’t know.” Kyungsoo shook his head. The doctor and Jongin turned to each other. They didn’t say a word, but Kyungsoo still noticed their concerns.

“Do you remember what happened?” Dr. Song’s question once again caused Kyungsoo discomfort. Jongin didn’t miss the way Soo started to play with his fingers. That was something the small one always did whenever he was nervous.

“I… what happened?” Kyungsoo repeated the question to himself, not being able to answer. His hands started to tremble.

“Did I hurt myself?” He replied. Jongin leaned forwards. A breeze of hope appeared on his mind. Soo seemed to remember. Or was it just a wishful thought?

“Do you remember how?” Jongin asked with too much enthusiasm for the situation. But the small one didn’t answer, and his hope disappeared as fast as his came.

“Can you tell me your name?” Dr. Song questioned, and Jongin could see the panic in Soo growing with every second. The small one frowned even more. He brought his hand to his injury just to remember he shouldn’t touch it seconds later. His lips trembled and tears formed in his eyes.

“My name?... No,” Kyungsoo said, and his voice trembled even more. The other two exchanged glances one more time and Kyungsoo didn’t miss that. Their silence scared him. They didn’t say a word, but it was like they were communicating, and Kyungsoo was left out of their ‘conversation’.

“Hey, don’t cry,” the doctor tried to comfort Kyungsoo, “everything will be fine.”

“Cry?” Kyungsoo murmured, touching his face. The tears were a shook to him. He hadn’t realized he’d started crying. Kyungsoo brought his knees to his chest, almost curling into a ball. He made himself smaller as if he wanted to hide. Soo looked like a lost child, being surrounded by strangers. No, to Soo that was exactly how this situation felt like.

“But,” the small one raised his head, looking at the two people in front of him, “what’s my name?”


	38. ♡ Treat him right or set him free

„I had to give him a strong sedative, so let him rest.” The doctor told Jongin as they stood at the front door.

“Is it real? Did he really lose his memory?” Jongin asked.

“Physically he is not that badly hurt, but a trauma could cause amnesia too. Did something happen?” Dr. Song explained to the boss, and she immediately noticed the guilt showing on the man’s face.

“Yeah,” Jongin answered with a deep sigh.

“Jongin, you know you’re like a son to me,” Dr. Song said, and Jongin nodded.

“That’s why I’m going to be honest with you,” she continued, “he is a good person. Treat him right or set him free.”

Jongin had to suppress his anger to tell her goodbye. He wasn’t angry at her but at himself. She was right, and he knew it. Yet, he couldn’t befriend the idea of setting Soo free. Jongin wasn’t sure what to do, but there was one thing he knew for sure. He must find out whether Soo had lost his memory for real or not, and he must do it now. Just then, something flashed on his mind. He had seen it in a movie. When people pretended to be someone else, they’d turn around when they were called by their real name. Jongin was aware Soo might have told him another fake name, but it was worth a try, he thought.

With that in mind, Jongin entered the room, calling out loud.

“Soo.”

His eyes focused on the smaller one, waiting for a hint that never came. Soo didn’t react. He didn’t even flinch at his name. Maybe he should try something else. After all, Soo had lived a long time as someone else.

“Baekhyun,” he tried one more time. Still no response. Jongin felt a mix of feelings growing in him. He was relieved, for Soo didn’t seem to lie. At the same time, he should be more worried, if the smaller one had amnesia for real.

“Hey,” Jongin tapped gently on Soo’s shoulder and for the first time, the other showed a reaction, turning his head to Jongin. Soo’s big round eyes were still glowing due to the tears.

“Do you really remember nothing? You said you wouldn’t lie to me. So, do you?” The taller said, sitting down on the bed, next to Soo.

“Did I lie to you?” Soo asked and a tear rolled down his cheek, “am I a bad person?”

Jongin regretted his question as he saw the panic taking over the smaller one’s body once again. Soo bit on his lower lip, so tight it started to bleed. The smaller one was shaking. Jongin should have listened to the doctor.

“No, you are not a bad person. It’s quite the opposite, you’re too good for your own good.”

Jongin corrected, holding the smaller one tightly. Soo flinched at the sudden hug, but slowly he calmed down. The smaller one leaned his head on Jongin ’s shoulder and the taller couldn’t help but smile. After a while, he realised that Soo had fallen asleep. With care, he laid Soo down and covered the smaller one. Jongin wiped away the tears on the smaller one’s cheeks. He couldn’t help but stare at Soo’s puffed eyes just to let the guilt hit him hard. Since Soo met him, the smaller one had gone through a lot, murders, attacks, kidnapping, and more. Yet, the smaller one had only cried exactly three times. The first time it was the shock as he fell down the stairs, breaking his leg. The second time was because of Jongin’s shot during the kidnapping. And this was the third time. Jongin realised each and every time he was the reason. Every single time, it was him who made Soo cry.

Kyungsoo rubbed his eyes, slowly waking up. His throat was dry, and his eyes were so swollen they felt heavy. Walking downstairs, he looked for the kitchen.

“You’re up,” he heard Jongin’s voice as soon as he found it. Before he could say anything, the taller shoved a glass of water in his direction.

“Here,” Jongin simply said like it was just another day of him reading the other’s mind.

“How do you know?” Kyungsoo mumbled. The smaller one still didn’t seem to feel comfortable around Jongin yet.

“Every morning you drink water as soon as you wake up,” explained Jongin. As he noticed the way Soo hesitated, he grabbed the glass and took a sip of the water.

“It’s neither drugged nor poisoned. You can drink it,” he proved.

“That wasn’t my concern,” Soo said before drinking the water like he wanted to show the man in front of him he didn’t lie.

“Then what’s wrong?”

“You,” Soo hesitated one more, “you seem like you know me.”

Jongin sighed. Did he know this person?

“I don’t know everything about you, but I guess I do know some things,” Jongin responded, and the smaller one’s face lit up.

“Can you tell me my name? What’s my name?”

“You’re called Soo,” Jongin answered, hoping that was enough for the smaller one. It was funny, just a day ago he was the one asking for Soo’s name. Now, the table had turned.

“Soo? Soo… Soo” The smaller one mumbled to himself, trying to befriend his name.

“What is it?” Jongin wondered.

“It feels right. Soo, I think that’s my name. It feels right.” The smaller one beamed, and a smile appeared on Jongin’s face.

“Mister, and who are you?”

“Mister?” Jongin yelled in offence, and Soo widened his eyes in shook. Had Soo always thought Jongin looked old?

“How should I call you then?”

“My name is Jongin , Kim Jongin. And we are…” Jongin needed a moment. He wasn’t even sure about their relationship. How should he explain it to the smaller one?

“We are married.”

“Married?” Now it was Soo’s turn to shout in surprise. “Me? I’m married?... To you?”

“I guess yes, you are.” Jongin chuckled. Soo let out a soft “woah” as he deep in his thought. He didn’t notice he had been silent in the middle of their conversation.

“Do we have marital problems?” He finally asked. Jongin choked on air by the smaller one’s sudden question.

“What gives you that idea?”

“You seem to be mad at me the whole time,” Soo said straight forwards.

“I’m not mad,” Jongin yelled, proving the opposite of his words.

“Ok.” It was obvious the smaller one didn’t buy it. Soo was looking down at the kitchen floor, avoiding eye contact with the taller. Jongin sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

“Listen, I am not mad at you. It’s just,” He tried to explain.

“It’s just me. You often say that I’m grumpy.”

“I did?” Soo raised his head. “That was mean,” he added.

“It’s ok. It was just a joke.” By that Soo nodded.

“So…” The smaller one tried to say something. Jongin could feel the tension in the air. Soo played with his fingers, circling them around.

“We…” Soo blushed.

“We love each other?” The smaller one blurted out his mind. He spoke so fast; Jongin almost couldn’t understand him.

“Wanna find out?” Jongin teased, stepping closer to the smaller one.

“Does your heart race?” Jongin asked with a deep voice, leaning in. His eyes targeted Soo’s lips. The smaller one let out a soft whine as he shut his eyes close. Yet, he slowly opened them as nothing happened. Jongin chuckled.

“Seems like your body remembers,” the taller winked. As much as he enjoyed teasing the smaller one, Jongin took a step back. He patted Soo’s head. Had he bought the amnesia story or not, how could he force a kiss on someone who might not remember him? Besides, how could he, when that person looked so lost… so vulnerable?

Being lost in his thoughts for a second, Jongin didn’t react as Soo pushed him away and run upstairs. Jongin smirked. A smirk that didn’t last long as reality brought him back. If Soo faked losing his memory, Jongin must find out immediately. However, if the smaller one didn’t lie, this could be their second chance for a new beginning. Soo could just be his, and this time Jongin was determined to do it right.

Jongin knocked on the door and waited for the smaller one’s permission before entering the bedroom.

“Hey,” Jongin called. Soo was sitting on the bed. Grabbed a pillow, the smaller one put it in front of his chest like a shield.

“I’m sorry. Earlier, I was just kidding.” Soo ready-to-kill-gaze made Jongin feel bad. Maybe he went overboard with his joke.

“You don’t have to be afraid of me. I won’t do anything to you. I promise.”

“I’m not afraid of you.” Soo denied and by that Jongin did his best to hold back his laughter.

“Of course, you’re not.” He replied. Amnesia or not, the smaller one hadn’t changed at all.

Later that day, Soo became more comfortable around Jongin. He wouldn’t stop asking questions until Jongin had no choice but shut him up with foods.

“I have to get back to work. I’ll visit you later.” Jongin told the smaller one while they sat on the bed, playing cards. There weren’t many options to kill time in this place. Although, playing cards with Soo was more fun than Jongin had expected.

“Do you really have to go?” The smaller one sulked.

“Yes, and I’ll come home late, so don’t wait for me and go to sleep.” Soo nodded. Yet, at the same time, he let out a sigh.

“Don’t be sad. I’ll bring some sweets and your favourite books when I come back. You might remember something once you read them again.” Jongin said, and with that, he patted the smaller one’s head before leaving. He was craving for a goodbye kiss, but he had promised to go slow, didn’t he?

Soo stroked his own head. He could still feel Jongin’s touch. Soo hadn’t noticed how much the taller had distracted him from the pain until the cut on his forehead ached. He was fighting the urge to take another painkiller as the vibration of a phone caught his attention. It didn’t take him long to find the phone in Jongin ’s jacket that was hanging on the bedroom door. Soo hadn’t thought about it, he instinctively grabbed it. Just as he tried to unlock it, he realised the issue. The code.

It was only one number, four digits, but 10 000 combinations. Frowned, he leaned his back against the wall. Guessing the right number by chance seemed hopeless. Thus, why were his fingers moving on their own, typing in 4 digits?

Even before he could see the result, the phone was snapped out of his hand. His gaze followed the phone and the next second he recognized Jongin who was just a step away from him. The taller was focusing on the screen, just like Soo was before. Jongin narrowed his eyes, finally asked.

“You didn’t unlock it?”

By that Soo leaned in to take a look at the phone. He was standing on his toes for Jongin was too tall.

“Sorry,” the smaller one apologized, and for a moment Jongin didn’t understand why, “I wasn’t trying to violate your privacy. I was just gonna play some games. I was bored.” Soo explained, but that wasn’t what concerned Jongin. It was a test and Soo passed it unknowingly. Jongin was sure someone who didn’t lose his memory wouldn’t waste the chance to call for help. And what could be more convenient than a phone?

“You couldn’t unlock it?” Jongin repeated. If the smaller one could have unlocked the phone, everything would be clear.

“I don’t know the code of your phone,” Soo replied, lowering his head like children did when they got scolded.

“It’s not mine. It’s yours.”

“That’s mine?” Soo shouted in surprise.

“Yeah,” Jongin said, “what number did you type in?”

“0114,” Soo answered.

“Why 0114?” Jongin asked, hiding the fact that he knew very well what those four digits mean.

His birthday. Jongin’s birthday.

“I don’t know. The number was just in my head like it were important.” Soo shrugged, “but it wasn’t the right one, so it probably means nothing.”

“Wait, aren’t you on your way to work?” The smaller one asked.

“I forgot something. I’ll go now,” Jongin lied. He didn’t want Soo to know that the smaller one had gotten back a part of his memory. It was a humble start, remembering Jongin’s birthday, and yet it scared Jongin . What would happen to them once Soo recalled everything? Would he stay?

That night Jongin came back earlier than he had expected. Night in the wood had something mysterious and creepy about it. Even Jongin was uncomfortable being alone in the middle of nowhere. Thus, he was sure Soo would hate to be by himself right now. It pissed him off that he had to steal away from his own house for his father’s men had been shadowing him for days.

At least, he was glad no one followed him, so he could finally visit Soo again. He was dead tired and the drive was long, but it was pleasant to see Soo’s face lit up by a smile as soon as he walked through the door.

“I told you not to wait for me, didn’t I?” Jongin asked. Amnesia or not, Soo was as stubborn as ever.

“I did nothing the whole day, so I wasn’t tired,” the smaller one explained.

“You’re still injured. You need to rest.” Jongin said, placing a metallic box on the table. It was barely bigger than a glasses case. Kyungsoo could sense it was something important for Jongin hadn’t taken his hand off it.

“Soo, come here,” Jongin waved at the smaller one, using his left hand. With a smile, Soo sat down next to Jongin. His big eyes looked at the taller like they demanded an explanation.

“I have to give you a shot, but it won’t hurt, ok?” Jongin said, opening the box and revealing the “medication”.

“I don’t want it. I hate needle.” The smaller one protested, shaking his head in speed.

“It won’t hurt.” Jongin tried to convince Soo while the other whined like a puppy.

“Don’t you want to get your memory back?” Jongin lied. He had enough of every second guessing whether Soo was acting or not? He needed certainty and he needed it now. This would be the last test. He promised.

Jongin ’s words worked. The smaller one pouted but nodded.

“I do,” he whispered.

“Then, give me your arm.” Soo hesitated for a short moment, but in the end, he did as he was told. He stretched his arm towards Jongin while turning his head to another direction. Soo shut his eyes. Jongin did his best to focus on finding the veins, but all he saw was the fear on the smaller one’s face.

“If you do that, I’ll never forgive you.” Jongin couldn’t help but remember Soo’s words, Soo’s voice, and Soo’s expression as the smaller warned him. After all those times, Jongin had never seen so many pains on Soo’s face. He knew the smaller one was dead serious. If Jongin used the drug, Soo would never forgive his betrayal.

“Jongin ?” Soo’s voice brought him back to reality.

“You know what? You don’t need it.” Jongin changed his mind.

“I don’t?”

“You don’t.”

“But will I still get my memory back without it?” Soo worried.

“Yeah, don’t worry.” Jongin ’s words lit up the smaller one’s face, and before Jongin knew it, Soo wrapped his arms around Jongin ’s neck, hugging him tightly. Jongin took the chance and breathed in the smaller one’s scent which he had missed so much.

“Soo,” he called.

“I was so scared,” Soo said, resting his chin on Jongin ’s shoulder. The taller patted Soo’s back gently.

“You don’t need to be afraid. Everything is fine,” Jongin replied. He was an idiot, he realised. He should have believed Soo way sooner, for Soo wouldn’t have listened so obediently and let Jongin drug him if he didn’t lose his memory for real.

As the smaller one pulled away, Jongin gently lay his hand on Soo’s neck. Now, it was his turn to lean in.

“I know I said I won’t do anything,” he told the smaller one, “so you’ll have to say no, otherwise I’m gonna kiss you.”

Soo stared at him with his round and big eyes like he couldn’t believe what he just heard. Yet, he didn’t say a word. By that Jongin smirked, coming eve closer, so close Kyungsoo could feel Jongin ’s breath.

“I’ll take that as a permission,” Jongin confirmed before locking their lips.

\------- >> << \-------

“How are you feeling?” Chanyeol asked as he got home. Baekhyun was sitting on the couch, his arms crossed before his chest. The television was playing, but Baekhyun wasn’t paying attention to it.

“I’m good. Stop doing that.” Baekhyun replied, annoyed. He didn’t even bother to look at his husband.

“Doing what?” Chanyeol questioned back, sitting down next to the smaller one.

“You’re acting like I’m gonna break. My father died and I’m fine. He was an ass anyway.” Baekhyun snapped. Chanyeol had been treating him like he only had a month to live, and Baekhyun hated that. He hated being treated like a weak baby.

Chanyeol sighed. Baekhyun kept saying things like that. He kept acting strong, but he had barely eaten or slept. He was like a zombie, neither dead nor alive.

“Baekhyun, I’m really worried.”

“I’m good, ok? I just need to rest. Just leave me alone.” Baekhyun raised his voice, but the next second a wave of guilt hit him. He understood very well Chanyeol simply cared about him, while he was acting like a real bitch. He should have controlled himself better.

“Don’t be mad at me, but,” Chanyeol confessed, “I did something without telling you.”

Chanyeol sounded serious. By that Baekhyun sat up straight, finally paying Chanyeol all his attention.

“What have you done?” He asked.

“I thought you should see someone,” Chanyeol answered while walking to the front door. Baekhyun couldn’t believe his eyes as the door opened, and he recognized the person behind it.

“Mom,” he called with widened eyes.

“My baby,” Mrs. Do reached out for her son. She pulled Baekhyun into her embrace, and just in seconds, Baekhyun turned into a child, crying on his mom’s shoulder.

“I’ll be in my office,” Chanyeol said to his mother in law with a bow before leaving. Mrs. Do nodded while she kept patting Baekhyun’s back.

Chanyeol stood up to greet Mrs. Do as she walked into the office. It had been hours since she arrived. He should have been a better host, yet he didn’t want to disturb Baekhyun and her.

“How is Baekhyun?” He asked, offering her seat with a hand gesture.

“He cried a lot. Let him sleep for a while.” She answered.

“He cried?” Chanyeol asked. The young man couldn’t hide the relief in his voice.

“You’re happy about that?”

“He hadn’t cried since he got the bad news, so I was worried,” Chanyeol explained. It was like Baekhyun was keeping all the pains in him, trying to suppress them… to ignore them. Yet, Chanyeol understood that would harm the smaller one even more.

“You did the right thing when you called me.” Mrs. Do said, “Thank you.”

“No, thank you for coming.”

“I’m glad Baekhyun found someone like you, Chanyeol. You’re a good man.” Chanyeol blushed at the compliment.

“Thank you,” he said softly.

“Let me cook something for you two,” Mrs. Do suggested, and Chanyeol led her to the kitchen. He sat at the counter, watching her making the foods. Maybe Baekhyun took after her. He liked cooking too.

“What’s wrong, Chanyeol?” Mrs. Do asked as she noticed Chanyeol’s gaze on her and the little smile on his face.

“Excuse me?”

“You’re staring at me.” She pointed out.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” the young man apologized, “You’re cooking for Baekhyun. I haven’t seen a mom doing that for a while.”

“You mean a mom cooking for her child? You have lost your mom very early too, don’t you?” Chanyeol nodded. The memories of his mother came to his mind. She was a successful lawyer, and too busy to take care of the household on her own. Yet, she had insisted on cooking for her kids every weekend.

“I’m sorry you lost her.” Mrs. Do said, and Chanyeol shook his head.

“It’s ok. That’s long ago.”

“Come and help me,” she called. Chanyeol beamed before taking the vegetables she handed him.

“Can you wash them for me?” Chanyeol nodded at her question.

“I’m done,” he announced proudly the second he finished the “mission” as if he didn’t want to wait for a second to be praised. By that Mrs. Do smiled and patted his cheeks gently.

“Well done, Chanyeolie,” she said.


	39. ♡ Abyss

Jongin stepped on gas. His navigation warned him of the coming speed camera, yet Jongin didn’t think of slowing down. The sun was setting down, and the highway was painted in orange. Jongin narrowed his eyes, for the sunlight was blinding. He barely saw the car before him. Leaning his body to the passenger seat, Jongin opened the glovebox, searching for his sunglasses. To his bad luck, it wasn’t there. Jongin growled. Today was just not his day. Not a single thing went right today, starting with his father’s phone call in the morning. He should have known better. That was the ultimate bad omen.

His father had called as he was still asleep and had demanded him to come home immediately. Jongin was the “official” leader, but his father was still the one giving the tone in the gang. The old man had not retired for real.

As Jongin arrived and saw Suho standing at the front gate, he knew right away something was wrong. Simply a glance from the older and he understood he should brace himself for whatever was awaiting him behind that door. As soon as he walked through the gate, he sensed the intensity in the air. His father had summoned the most trusted “brothers” and “uncles” of the family and they all were armed. Yet, Jongin didn’t miss those strangers who were trying too hard to hide the guns under their jackets. It was clear. This was a “meeting”, one of the highest levels.

Jongin bit on his lower lip. How could he not notice the danger sooner? The moment his father introduced the middle-aged man in front of him as the new leader of the Black Lotus, Jongin understood he was already too late, too late to save Soo. And as Baekhyun’s uncle thanked him for his cooperation, his body moved on his own. The next thing he knew was being in his car, speeding to his safe house, praying that he’d be the first one to reach Soo. The voice of Baekhyun’s uncle was still in his head, giving him chill.

“As soon as Baekhyun is returned to us, nothing will be in the way of our new alliance.”

Jongin could hear the squeak of the tires as he stepped on the brakes. Arrived at the safe house, he ran inside as fast as he could. Yet, he was too late. The house was empty, and Soo was gone. Jongin let out a scream. His chest went up and down due to the running, as he checked every room and every single spot in this place. His hand clenched into a fist, and Jongin threw a punch against the mirror. The moment the broken glasses hit the ground, and Jongin heard the noises, the gang leader flinched. Was it his imagination or did he just hear Soo’s voice?

“Let me go.” Once again, Jongin noticed a voice coming from the wood. It was Soo. Jongin was sure. It had to be Soo.

In a second, Jongin rushed into the wood, following Soo’s voice. With every step, Jongin felt the wind more clearly. The air was changing bit by bit on his way. Jongin had no doubt where he was heading to. The cliff. As expected, he found Soo and his “uncle”, Choo, who was his father’s right-hand. Yet, he would never think Namjoon would be chasing after Soo, instead of helping that one person he had promised to protect.

Jongin ’s legs moved on their own. They were running so fast, it felt like they didn’t even touch the ground. Jongin hated the fact that he was close enough to see everything but not close enough to do anything. It was killing him, the way he was forced to watch his loved one getting hurt without a chance to help.

Jongin could clearly see how his “uncle” drew the weapon. His heart skipped a beat as Choo pointed his gun at Soo and a shot is fired. Jongin jumped at the loud bang, awaiting the worst. However, “uncle” Choo missed Soo. Yet, before he could breathe out, Namjoon pulled his gun as well. To Soo’s luck, or to his bad luck, Namjoon was too close to Soo, so they happened to fight over the gun. Although Soo had a hard punch, it was still a short fight. Their legs tangled, and Soo tripped, but behind him, the ground ended. Jongin couldn’t believe his eyes as Soo fell down the cliff. Soo’s scream mixed up with his own. Jongin couldn’t tell them apart.

The gang leader reached out for the smaller one, forcing his feet to move faster. But he was too far away. All the power he had was useless; in the end, he could do nothing but watch his loved one falling into death.

Then Jongin heard a loud crash that was followed by Suho’s voice. Turned around, Jongin widened his eyes as he saw Suho in a car that the older just crashed into a tree. Suho was in as much panic as Jongin. They both rushed to the cliff. Yet, while Suho slowed down at the last steps away from the abyss, Jongin seemed to speed even more. The gang leader was about to jump after his lover as Suho’s strong grip held him back.

“Let me go,” Jongin yelled at Suho.

“You know he’s a terrible swimmer.” The younger shouted.

“Jongin ,” Suho tightened his arms around Jongin.

“That doesn’t matter.” The older whispered with a broken voice, and Jongin froze.

“He wouldn’t come to swim. A fall from this height makes the water hard as concrete.” Suho explained. Jongin noticed the pain in the other’s words.

“He wouldn’t come to swim,” Suho repeated. Just now Jongin realized how the strength had left his legs. His body dropped to the ground, and he felt Suho’s grip loosening.

“But he could have survived,” Jongin stuttered.

“No one survives a fall from this height, Jongin. Wake up,” Suho yelled at his boss as he grabbed Jongin’s collar with both hands. Jongin widened his eyes in shock. Suho had never raised his voice against him. The older was shaking. The veins on his neck were visible. Suho looked like he was in as much pain as Jongin.

Suddenly Jongin felt so dumb for not noticing it earlier. Where did Suho come from? The taller just appeared out of thin air.

“How did you find us?” Jongin frowned.

“I followed you,” Suho confessed.

“You did what? Why?” Jongin’s face darkened even more.

“Do you have something to do with this?” The gang leader said through clenched teeth, and Suho shook his head.

“I just saw you leaving all of sudden. I thought you might need some help,” lied Suho for he couldn’t tell Jongin that he followed the younger to find Kyungsoo.

Jongin hadn’t bought that yet, but before he could react. Namjoon’s voice interrupted their conversation.

“I’m sorry,” Namjoon said. In a second Jongin’s shock turned into pure anger. The gang leader threw Suho aside and jumped down Namjoon’s throat.

“What have you done? I trusted you.” Jongin shouted his lungs out. Why did people around him – one after another – keep disappointing him? Each and every time he trusted somebody; it’d turn out to be a mistake.

“I’m sorry, Jongin. I did it to protect you,” Namjoon apologized, getting on his knees. Yet, that wasn’t enough for Jongin to forgive him. The gang leader clenched his fingers into a fist, and the next thing Namjoon felt was a punch that numbed his jaw. Through the impact the bodyguard bit on his tongue so hard, it bled.

“To protect me? By betraying me?” Jongin yelled.

“He was a threat to your safety. It was just a matter of time until he gets you killed.” Namjoon spitted the blood on the ground and explained.

„You son of a bitch,” Jongin threw another punch, the hardest he could. The bodyguard was knocked out in one second.

“I’m sorry. I did it to protect you,” Namjoon stuttered, barely understandable through the coughings. As Jongin rubbed his right hand with a painful growl, being distracted for a short moment, Namjoon took the chance and bowed to his boss before reaching for his weapon.

Immediately Suho threw himself between Namjoon and Jongin, while “uncle” Choo backed away for his own safety. Then, everything happened in a split second. They hear a shoot and a body dropped to the ground. All three checked on themselves and then on the others. Who got shot?

And in the next moment, they noticed Namjoon lying on the ground, which was painted red with blood.

“Forgive me,” the guard whispered under his last breaths.

Jongin was paralyzed. In just a few minutes, he had lost two of the people he’d trusted the most. His brain was refusing to accept all this.

“He killed himself,” Choo stuttered, “I have nothing to do with this.” The old man clarified before running away, leaving Suho the others behind.

“That son of a bitch,” Jongin shouted after his “uncle” who was almost out of sight. The gang leader turned to Namjoon who had stopped moving.

“How could he betray me?” Jongin hissed, bowing down to his former guard. Yet, before he could reach the body, Suho stopped him one more time.

“Don’t touch him. You’ll leave your DNA on him,” the older warned, “that coward was right, it was a suicide after all.”

Jongin had never been so confused like he was at this moment. His body was like on vibration. He wanted to do something. He needed to do something, only if he’d know what to do.

“I’ll take care of that,” Suho pointed with his head at Namjoon, “and you,” he emphasized the younger’s name, “you’ll get on your car, drive down the river and find him.”

“Ok,” Jongin said in astonishment. Suho sounded different. What the older said sounded like an order to the boss. Every piece of his body told him to put Suho in his place, but Jongin knew better. Suho was right. The best thing… No, the only thing he could do at this moment was looking for Soo.

Jongin nodded and he ran back to his car, driving down the river. Maybe Soo made it. The smaller one must survive. And Jongin would find him, wherever he was.

\--- Ten days later ---

Jongin growled as he opened the front door. The morning light was too bright for his eyes, so the gang leader told the person on his veranda to get in quickly.

“What do you want, Suho?” He hissed, being mad for no reason.

“Did you sleep here again? It’s been over a week. You should go home,” Suho sighed at the sight of a broken Jongin. The younger one had been staying in the safe house since Kyungsoo fell off the cliff. All Jongin did was looking for Kyungsoo. At first, Suho was grateful for the leader’s help, but as time went by it got sadder and sadder, for Jongin refused to accept the fact that Kyungsoo wasn’t coming back. They might never find Kyungsoo.

“What do you want?” Jongin asked dryly. He was too tired to explain himself, and people wouldn’t understand anyway.

“I have to tell you something.”

“What is it?”

“I’m leaving the company,” Suho said with hesitation.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Jongin frowned.

“I quit, Jongin. After what happened to Baekhyun, I can’t wake up every morning, acting like it was nothing,” Suho explained. Jongin couldn’t judge at the older, for he felt the same. Yet, unlike Suho, he didn't have the privilege to ‘quit' the gang. He was a part of it and he'd be a part of it until the day he died.

“I didn’t know you were so close with Baekhyun,” Jongin said.

“I know you thought all I did was babysitting him, but,” Suho replied, “… I promised him I would protect him, and I failed. He was a good person. He was too good for our world.”

Jongin nodded. Suho was right. Soo was too good for his damned world.

“Are you blaming me for what happened?” Jongin asked, not being able to say the word “death”. To him, Soo wasn’t dead. He wasn’t giving up on Soo. Unless he found Soo’s lifeless body, or else he’d believe Soo had survived.

“I’m blaming every single person involved,” Suho raised his voice until he was yelling at Jongin, “I’m blaming you for hiding Baekhyun in this damned place without telling me. I’m blaming your father for trading Baekhyun’s life for an alliance. I’m blaming Namjoon for telling your father where Baekhyun was, and I’m blaming myself for not finding Baekhyun sooner. So yes, Jongin, it’s not all about you. You fucked up and so did I.”

Suho took a deep breath. His voice softened dangerously.

“And we both will have to live with this. Every time we think of him, we’ll ask ourselves what we should have done differently. And it’ll hurt, but that’s the least we’d pay for our mistakes,” the older lectured his boss.

Jongin gasped for air. Suho’s words were like thousands of blades cutting his heart. It pained because he knew they were true.

“And you should go home, take a shower, shave your beard and stop being so pathetic,” Suho said, heading to the exit.

“He wouldn’t want you to be like this,” the older said, slamming the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have any excuse for killing Soo. I'm just an evil author and I'll go in the shame-corner now.


	40. ♡ When Spring Comes?

Jongin dried his face and looked at himself in the mirror. His beard was gone. His hair was freshly washed. He could sense the smell of soap that filled the bathroom. Jongin felt clean, maybe even a bit relaxed. Suho was right. Soo would want him to take care of himself. The smaller one used to say, the worse you felt, the better you need to dress up yourself.

Letting his body fall on the bed, Jongin felt how his eyelids became heavier with every second. He groaned, for his feet were killing him. He was searching the wood down the river the whole day by foot. Never in his life had Jongin walked so much. He had taken Suho’s advice and came home, took a shower, and got some rest, but he hadn’t given up on looking for Soo.

Jongin didn’t realise when he had fallen asleep. Maybe he was just too tired. As he was woken up by his ring tone, it was already morning. The sunlight was so blinding, Jongin covered up his eyes with his arm, trying not to be ripped away from his sleep. Half awake, half asleep, he asked himself whether it was worth it to answer the phone yet in one split second he remembered it could be about Soo. And he was right.

“They found a corpse,” the voice on the phone said. In one blink, all the tiredness was gone. Jongin jumped up and gathered all his stuff, heading to the morgue.

Jongin walked through the hallway, following the assistant who was leading the way. Jongin understood why they sent someone to guide him for this building was a maze. There were so many corridors and they all seemed randomly placed. The lack of signposts wasn’t helping either. They were in the basement, thus there were neither windows nor a slight sunlight. However, darkness and its cold fitted this place well. Even the air seemed to be colder than outside, and it smelled like sanitizer. It smelled like death. Although death was a common part of his life, Jongin felt uncomfortable in this place.

“We’re here,” said the assistant as he asked Jongin to wait at the door and went in to inform the doctor. It didn’t take long until a short man stood before him. He was barely 1,65m tall and as skinny as a skeleton. His face was heavily wrinkled, and his skin was pale as if he hadn’t seen the sun for his entire life. His hair was fully grey that parts of his scalp were visible. The man looked like death itself.

“Good morning, Mr. Choi” greeted the doctor with a high pitched voice that didn’t fit his appearance a bit, and Jongin did his best not to laugh.

“Good morning,” he replied.

“Please come in,” the man said, and Jongin entered the room. Immediately, he noticed the body on the table, covered with a white sheet. It was so soaked that the fabric stuck to it. The gang leader didn’t realise he had stopped walking.

“Is that the body they found?” Jongin asked. The doctor nodded.

“I should warn you. He was in the water for a very long time which means it won’t be a nice view.”

Jongin gulped. It wasn’t the first time for him to see a dead body, but he had never felt this way before. It was hard to breathe, and his legs were shaking.

“Ready?” The old man asked, hands holding the fabric. Jongin nodded, and the doctor pulled aside the sheet. Jongin clenched his teeth by the sight of the body. The skin-color was a mix of blue, green, and grey. A musty smell penetrated in his nose. The person on the table was wearing a white shirt, navy blue jeans, and black chucks. The white shirt had almost turned mud brown. Some green leafs stuck in his shoes. The left pant leg was ripped, and Jongin could see a deep cut under the jeans. On his left ring finger, this person was wearing Soo’s wedding ring, the only ring in the whole world that matched his for they were a batch production.

“No, this wasn’t Soo. This couldn’t be Soo,”he told himself.

“Is that him?” The doctor asked, and Jongin froze. He had to admit, this person wore the same cloths as Soo did when he fell down the cliff. The height and even the body build was the same. Still, Jongin rejected to believe that this was his Soo.

“Show me his face,” the leader demanded.

“Are you sure? You don’t want to remember him this way,” warned the old man.

“Show me his face,” insisted Jongin.

“As you wish,” replied the doctor before fully pulled the sheet off the body. Jongin gasped at the sight in front of him. The face was as swollen as the rest of the body. The nose was broken and almost cut off till the point it was only linked to the face by the last string of skin. Even the skin looked like it was about to fall apart. The old man was right. This face was in an unrecognizable condition.

Jongin’s eyes wandered automatically to the body’s forehead. His heart skipped a beat as he noticed the cut over the right eyebrow, a deep cut that now appeared much bigger and deeper due to the water. This person was indeed in the river for a very long time, Jongin could tell.

Every logically part of his mind told him this man lying on the metal table was Soo. Still, something in him, may it be his instinct or his wishful thinking, told him that it wasn’t Soo.

“Is that Byun Baekhyun?” the doctor asked one more time after Jongin kept silent for a long moment.

“Yes, that’s him,” answered Jongin before turning around, leaving that cold, sticky room.

The old man watched another heartbroken person leaving this place, something that was his daily routine.

“At least you were loved,” said the doctor to the young man on his table before covering him up again.

His hand tensed up for a second as a loud bang surprised him. The door flung open and Jongin was back. With one hand, Jongin held the door open, so he could talk to the doctor without entering that room again.

“When can I take him home?” The gang leader asked.

“Whenever you want,” answered the doctor.

After arranging “Baekhyun’s” return, Jongin got back in his car, and the first thing he did was calling Dr. Song.

“I need you to run a DNA test for me,” said Jongin.

“I’ll get you that DNA sample.” He told his family doctor as she said she needed a DNA sample to compare. In contrast to what he said to the old man that reminded him too much of death, Jongin doubted that body was Soo. Yet, there was one thing he knew for sure, if Soo was out there and alive, he would be safe if Byun Baekhyun’s uncle and Jongin’s father, the most dangerous men of Korea, believed Byun Baekhyun were dead. The only thing Jongin could do to protect Soo was to make the world think Byun Baekhyun were gone. However, for himself, he had to prove that Soo was alive, and wherever the smaller one was. He’d find him.

Jongin smashed the glass on the floor after he emptied the wine in one slug. He had hoped the alcohol would help him to calm down, but it didn’t work. The gang leader had been looking for Soo’s DNA the whole day and he found nothing, no hair on the hairbrush, no toothbrush, no used mug or anything else that could have contained the smaller one’s DNA. Not even fingerprints were left. Who would even think of wiping everything they had touched?

Jongin had to admit how clever Soo was, but Soo miscalculated something. If removing all of his DNA and fingerprints, making it impossible for Jongin to run a test, was supposed to convince Jongin that the body they found was Soo, then smaller one had underestimated the gang leader. If anything, it rather proved to Jongin that Soo was still alive. A fake death that was so perfectly staged, Jongin wouldn’t expect less from his husband.

Jongin abruptly stood up as he regained his motivation. In the course of his over-eagerness, he knocked over the bottle. The red wine dropped from the table and landed on the white floor. The red liquid looked so much like blood dropping, so much it reminded Jongin of something.

\---

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Jongin asked, looking over Soo’s shoulder. The smaller one was trying to open a wine bottle, but something seemed to trouble him.

“It jammed,” answered Soo through clenched teeth as he pulled harder on the bottle screw that was dug into the wooden cork. Still, the cork didn’t seem to move an inch.

“Damn it,” cursed Soo, putting even more force on it. The smaller one couldn’t imagine the wooden cork to split in the middle, causing the screw to jump out all of sudden.

“Ouch,” screamed Soo as the sharp end slashed his finger and blood dropped on the table. In shock, Soo threw the bottle screw aside. They both heard the metal hit the floor, yet the last thing they cared about in that moment was where the screw had landed. Jongin would never have thought that little troublesome thing could be so important one day.

\---

“It might be the only object with Soo’s DNA on it,” Jongin thought and ducked down to look under the kitchen counter. The gap was small but still big enough for a bottle screw to get inside. The gang leader grabbed his phone, using it as a flash lamp to light up the dark gap between the floor and the counter.

Finally, there it was… the bottle screw. Jongin’s face lit up like he just found a treasure. Soo was good. He was great, but even he made mistakes. Jongin looked in every kitchen drawer for a pair of gloves. As he found them, the gang leader squashed his arm the tiny gap under the counter to reach for the screw and by the third try, he succeeded. Placing it on the table, Jongin removed the gloves to text Dr. Song.

“Ok, I’ll test it, but I can’t promise anything. This isn’t CSI.” The doctor replied.

Jongin clicked his fingernails against the table, and the speed seemed to increase with every second. His eyes were focused on the door as if he were afraid he would waste a second to open it. As he heard the bell, he literally jumped.

“The result? Is him?” Jongin asked the same second he opened the door, talking so fast he slurred.

“Hello, Jongin,” greeted Dr. Song, “let’s talk inside.”

Only by her voice, Jongin could already tell she got bad news.

“No,” he refused to believe even before she got the chance to say anything.

“He’s not dead,” Jongin murmured.

“I’m sorry, Jongin. The DNA matched. It’s him.” The doctor said. Jongin clenched his teeth.

“The test must be wrong. It can’t be,” Jongin shook his head.

“We double-checked.”

“Tests can be manipulated. Samples can be switched.”

“No, not this time, I had an eye on the sample every second. It’s impossible to manipulate anything,” said Dr. Song.

“Also,” she paused to take a deep breathe, “we checked the fingerprints on it as well. Even the fingerprints matched the one of the body. And…”

“What?” Jongin asked impatiently.

“You told me you used gloves when you found it?”

“Yes.”

“So you haven’t touched it after Baekhyun cut his fingers with it?”

“No, I haven’t touched it after that accident. Why are you asking?”

“Jongin, we also found your fingerprint on it.”

“Mine?” Jongin’s hope drained away.

“Yes, if the bottle screw was placed there after Baekhyun disappeared, your fingerprint wouldn’t be on it. There were only two kinds of fingerprints on it, yours and the one that matched the body.” Dr. Song explained.

“You can repeat the tests. You can let someone else do it, but the result won’t change,” she added, “Jongin, it’s him. I’m sorry. He is dead.”

“He is dead.”

Dr. Song’s words repeated in Jongin’s head like the echo in a haunted house. The room began to spin. Jongin tried to best to stand upright. Since that moment he felt like being in a bubble. Days had passed, but he couldn’t tell how many. People had come to see him, but he couldn’t recall what they said. He couldn’t even remember what he had done all day, maybe nothing. It felt like he had done nothing… Until Jongin heard noises coming from Soo’s old room, the leader grabbed his gun and carefully approached the room.

He opened the door, aimed it at the person in there, and shouted.

“Who are you?”

“Mr. Kim,” the man shouted back in shock as he saw the weapon being pointed at him.

“It’s me,” the man took off his hat to show his face. Jongin immediately recognized him, Jungkook.

“What are you doing in here?” The gang leader asked, still not lowering his gun.

“Mr. Byun asked me to move the lavender inside for they wouldn’t survive the winter,” the bodyguard explained.

“He asked you to?” Jongin repeated.

“Yes, he did it before…,” the younger didn’t know to finish his sentence, “it was the last thing he asked me to do.”

Jongin froze for a second before slowly lowering his gun.

“You can bring them in my room,” Jongin told the guard.

Soo loved those flowers. Maybe that was why it was somehow comforting to have those violet flowers in his room.

“Why are some of them dying already?” Jongin asked as the man place the last pot in his room.

“Flowers wilt, Sir. That’s what they do.” Jungkook answered. Jongin couldn’t help but see meanings in everything that happened around him, and everything was about Soo. Every song on the radio was about Soo, every cloud that passed by looked like the smaller one, and even now, it’s like the other man was talking Soo.

“Can I help you with something else?” The younger asked, waking Jongin up from his daydreaming.

“No, you can leave. Thank you.”

Jungkook bowed to his boss and turned to the exit, but before he walked away, he reminded Jongin of something.

“Sir, flowers wilt but when spring comes, they’ll bloom again.”

By that Jungkook left, leaving Jongin alone, wondering if spring would ever come again.

Baekhyun lowered his cap and pulled up his mask, hiding his face the best he could. He bit on his lower lip as he laid a bouquet of lavender on a grave, next to a bouquet of pink lilies that was as fresh as they were just picked.

Jongin did a great job, choosing the gravestone. It had a small golden pair of wings above the name and a short quote underneath.

“The prettiest flower is now in God’s care,” it was as simple as his brother would have liked it.

“Byun Baekhyun,” he mumbled his own name that was engraved on the stone. It was surreal to see his name on it. It was surreal to be dead to the world.

Baekhyun wondered who would visit his grave. Who would remember him? Who would miss him? Byun Baekhyun wasn’t a person he could be proud of but thanked to Kyungsoo he had gotten a second chance. This time he’d be someone better.

A sudden breeze slightly moved the lily petals, revealing a card under the flowers. Curiously, Baekhyun picked it up. It was only a simple white card which wasn’t much bigger than a postcard. It wasn’t printed, but Baekhyun could feel the high quality just by holding it. The paper was thick and smooth, and it smelled like sandalwood. Only two sentences, written in dark blue ink, were on the card, but Baekhyun could tell how carefully the writer must have been.

“I promise to love you till the end. I did it till yours, and I’ll do it till mine.”

Baekhyun blinked, holding back the tears that were threatening to fall. He immediately knew who wrote those sentences. In another world, Kyungsoo and Jongin would have been a perfect couple. They got married by mistake, but maybe it was fate. The thought of his brother being loved unconventionally as the younger deserved comforted Baekhyun a bit.

Putting back the card, Baekhyun was about to leave as a familiar voice surprised him.

“Byun Baekhyun?” The person behind him called, and as a reflex, he turned around.

Baekhyun widened his eyes as he recognized the man.

Kim Jongin.

And Baekhyun realised he got caught.


	41. ♡ Till death do us part

“Good morning,” greeted the woman behind the counter with a smile as soon as Jongin entered the flower shop. It was a small flower shop on the edge of town, not far away from the cemetery, run by an old couple. The assortment wasn’t huge because they grow all flowers themselves. Yet, for some reason, Jongin preferred this little shop to the famous and expensive ones in the middle of Seoul. Maybe it was the charm of an old house at the end of the road. To enter the shop, you had to walk past the small but colorful garden. Maybe it was the fresh air in the mountain, or maybe Jongin simply enjoyed the long walk to this place.

“The usual?” The old woman asked, and Jongin nodded.

“Would you like some coffee while waiting? I just made some.”

“Yes,” replied Jongin.

“Please, take a seat,” the woman gestured with her hand.

“Thank you,” Jongin said, sitting down at the metal and rusted table. It was small, old, and retro, just like this shop. Jongin looked out of the window, breathing in the flowers’ scents in the air. Soo would have loved this place. It was like a coffee shop and a flower shop in one, plus it was in the mountains. Soo had loved the countryside.

“Grandpa, can you bring us some coffee?” The woman called for her husband, and he answered with a loud “Ok” from the back room.

“Here,” said the old man as he placed a mug on the table. Immediately the scent of coffee reached Jongin. It was just a cup of black coffee; nothing about it was extravagant or comparable to Seoul’s finest coffee. Still, Jongin loved it.

“It smells heavenly. Thank you.” The gang leader replied, and both shop owners smiled.

“Don’t you want some lilies today? They are so beautiful this season,” asked the old man out of the blue, causing his wife to sigh.

“Old man, don’t bother our customer.” She nagged at him.

“I was just saying,” her husband argued, “even the favorite food shouldn’t be eaten every day. What’s bad about a change?”

“Leave the young man alone,” she said, slapping his upper arm as a warning.

“Grandma, I was just talking to our customer,” responded the old man with a shrug.

“Don’t mind him. I’ll get you the lavender flowers as usual.” His wife told Jongin, who shook his head.

“Lilies sounds good,” Jongin changed his mind.

Placing the pink flowers on the grave, Jongin smiled. The old man was right. The lilies were beautiful. Jongin’s eyes wandered from the flowers to the shiny golden wings on the gravestone. A leaf had stuck on it. Brushed down the leaf, Jongin cleaned the wings with his handkerchief.

“You’re free now,” he said, knowing he would never get a response from Soo. Never again.

Jongin kept silent for he had nothing to say. How often had he visited this grave? All the things he wanted to say had been said. All the tears he got had been shed. Soo was gone, and he was doomed to live.

“Till death do us part?” Who would have thought his vow would become real? Had he said that at their wedding? Jongin couldn’t even remember the ceremony. Everything seemed so meaningless that day. Soo seemed so meaningless that day. Jongin bit on his lip. He had been a fool. He had been so wrong.

After saying goodbye, Jongin headed to the parking lot. On his way, the gang leader passed by someone whom he wouldn’t have paid much attention to if the man wouldn’t have covered his entire face. The cap and the mask would have been acceptable, but the extra glasses had overdone it all. And what was the deal about that red cap? The red was so bright. That man, did he want to be noticed or not?

Curiosity, or simply a weird feeling in the stomach, made Jongin turn back, following that mysterious man. Jongin clenched his teeth as he saw the man stopped at Soo’s grave. The gang leader hid behind a tree, trying to hear something, but the other man didn’t say a word except for reading out loud the name on the gravestone. His blood boiled even more as that person read his card to Soo. Who gave him permission?

Stepping out of the shadow, Jongin asked. „It’s you, isn’t it? You’re Byun Baekhyun.”

“Kim Jongin,” the man at Soo’s grave turned around, and Jongin couldn’t help but stare at him from head to toes. So this was him, the real Byun Baekhyun? This was the person Soo did everything to protect? This was him?

“Did you follow me?” asked the man as he took off his mask. Jongin frowned, for this person was anything but what he had expected. His face, his body build, even his voice… the one and only Byun Baekhyun was just ordinary, almost too boring for someone who was supposed to be the only heir of the Black Lotus.

“Why am I not surprised that someone like you would visit his own grave?“ Jongin mocked, causing Baekhyun to yell back at him.

“Someone like me? The fuck someone like me means? You think you know something about me?”

“I know you sent him to the front and went hide your ass, while he was targeted by your power-hungry piece of shit uncle,” Jongin screamed back, running towards Baekhyun. The gang leader was ready to throw a punch, but Baekhyun was faster. It was Jongin who received a fist.

“And who hid him in the arse end of nowhere? Do you think I didn’t look for him?” Baekhyun shouted at Jongin who was growling because of the sudden attack. Baekhyun smirked in satisfaction, but it didn’t last long for Jongin dragged him to the ground the next second.

Both men on the ground, all dirty and out of control, they both fought and screamed at each other until they were both out of breath. It was unclear who won or who lost, for it wasn’t important anyway. In the end, they both knew it was their fault.

„I remember you,“ Jongin said through his gasps, “we’ve met before.”

“You do?” Baekhyun asked back calmly. For some reason, the fight had calmed them down like this was what they both had needed the whole time.

“You helped us with the handcuff. You saved Soo that time,” Jongin added, pushing himself up from the ground. Baekhyun was also sitting on the grass, not having any strength left to stand up.

“Aren’t you gonna deny being Byun Baekhyun?” Jongin asked.

“What’s the point in doing that? You know the truth already.” Baekhyun confessed, and after a short break, he asked back. “So, will you tell my uncle?”

“What’s the point in doing that? Whether you’re dead or alive, nothing would bring him back.”

By that Baekhyun kept silent. Jongin was right, and he knew that.

“Til the last moment, he did everything to keep your secret. How could I ignore his last wish?” Jongin said. Baekhyun stared at the man next to him. Maybe Soo was right when he said Jongin wasn’t ‘that bad’.

“Why did he do that… for you? Are you his first love or something?” Jongin had been wondered that for a long time. Finally, he got the chance to ask. Yet, by that question, Baekhyun curled his lips, letting out a loud “Ewh”.

“Did you think I was your love rival? Get your head out of your ass, Kim Jongin. The world doesn't revolve around you.”

“What?” Jongin yelled.

“Calm down. He is my… brother.”

“He was my brother,” Baekhyun corrected himself.

“That’s impossible,” Jongin replied, “Byun Baekhyun is Kim Taeksoo’s only son.”

“That’s true. He was my half-brother,” Baekhyun said, “although he kept saying there was no such thing as “half” of a brother. He insisted on saying ‘brother’ instead of, you know, ‘half-brother.”

“That sounded like something he’d say,” Jongin chuckled. Now everything made sense, all the things Soo did. They made sense now.

“Isn’t it?” Baekhyun laughed in reply until his laughter faded away.

“He was full of love and kindness,” he added while his voice was filling with sudden sadness, “he was too precious for our world.”

Jongin nodded in response.

“Do you sometimes think one of us should have died instead of him?” Baekhyun asked after a short silence.

“Sure. Look at us. We’re dirty, broken, and twisted,” Jongin answered without hesitation, and Baekhyun agreed.

“Then why do good people die while trash like us live on?”

“I’m not a believer, but someone once told me ‘When God decides to pick a flower, he picks the most beautiful one’, and I liked that idea. It was the only way to explain why we’re here and he isn’t,” Jongin told the other. Also, he knew God wouldn’t “pick” him, for he must have his place reserved in hell already.

“Oh, that’s what the quote on the gravestone means? That’s beautiful.” Baekhyun admitted. He wouldn’t have thought Kim Jongin could be so sentimental. As he felt the strength slowly came back to his legs, Baekhyun brushed away the dust on him, standing up.

“I’m leaving the country, so take good care of his grave, brother-in-law,” Baekhyun said, half-joked.

“You’re leaving? Just like that?” Jongin wondered. Wasn’t Byun Baekhyun fighting for his heritage? Shouldn’t he be taking back the Black Lotus?

“I know what you’re thinking, but I’m not taking back the gang,” Baekhyun explained as if he could read Jongin’s mind, “I never wanted to be a part of this world anyway, and as you said, he did everything to give me the chance to start a new life. He wouldn’t forgive me… I wouldn’t forgive myself if I don’t grab this chance.”

“So my uncle can take the gang. Even you can take the gang. I don’t care. Do whatever you want. I’m out. Korea is a Byun-Baekhyun-free-zone,” announced Baekhyun, throwing his arms in the air. After taking a last glance at the grave, Baekhyun told Jongin goodbye and left.

“Hey Byun Baekhyun,” Jongin called after his ‘brother-in-law, making Baekhyun stop.

“Why do you keep calling me by my full name? That’s weird.” Baekhyun bent his brow.

Jongin took a moment before answering. “I called him Baekhyun when we first met, remember? He is… was Baekhyun, only he.”

“I see,” Baekhyun realized.

“What did you want to tell me?” He asked.

“That new life you spoke of,” Jongin said, “make it worth it.”

“You bet,” and with that Baekhyun walked away with a smile on his face.

\------------

Jongin’s car stopped at the front gate as he noticed a familiar silhouette in front of his house.

“Wow,” he said, rolling down the window, “if you didn’t come to me, I’d have come to you, Suho”

“Jongin,” greeted the older.

“I just met Byun Baekhyun,” Jongin stated, offering Junmyeon a drink as they entered the living room.

“What?” Junmyeon asked in surprise.

“I just met him, Byun Baekhyun… the real one,” Jongin repeated, pouring himself a glass of whiskey.

“And no need to deny. I know you knew everything all along.” The boss added.

“He told you?” Junmyeon wondered.

“Byun Baekhyun? He didn’t have to. The moment I saw his face, it was clear. He helped us when Woobin kidnaped Soo. At that time, didn’t you say he was a friend of yours?” Jongin leaned back in his seat, while one hand was still holding his drink.

“Yes, I did,” replied Junmyeon.

“Is it true?” Jongin was unexpectedly calm. This didn’t feel like an interrogation. Junmyeon’s skeptical boss sounded like he was simply curious.

“What do you mean?”

“Is it true? Is he a friend? The real Byun Baekhyun,” Jongin explained his question.

“He is a friend now,” Junmyeon answered, “but at that time I wasn’t sure. He offered his help, and I needed all the help to find Ky… Soo.” Junmyeon stopped himself from saying Kyungsoo’s name. It didn’t belong to him to tell Jongin Soo’s identity.

“Why are you here? You wouldn’t be here only to confess that you lied to me the whole time.”

“No, I’m here to tell you the truth.”

“The truth?” Jongin mocked, “do you think I still give a fuck about the truth?”

“That day, when he was kidnapped by Woobin,” ignoring Jongin’s outburst, Suho started, “it wasn’t a coincidence that he suddenly left the restaurant.”

“What?” Jongin narrowed his eyes, listening carefully to the older.

“It wasn’t easy to convince him. It really wasn’t. But in the end, he understood that staying was dangerous… for both of you,” Suho told his former boss.

“He wanted to leave me that day?” Jongin asked through clenched teeth. Junmyeon noticed how the tension built up in the younger.

“He really loved you, Jongin. The decision to leave hurt him a lot, but…” Suho tried to calm the other down. Yet, before he could end his sentence, Jongin interrupted him.

“Only if he could,” Jongin murmured. It wasn’t meant for Junmyeon to hear, but the older didn’t miss it.

“What do you mean? Aren’t you mad he tried to run away?”

“Can I be mad when he was right?” Jongin bit on his lower lip.

“If he could make it to leave me, he wouldn’t be dead now,” the gang leader said, and they both held back a cry. Junmyeon hadn’t thought it was possible for Kim Jongin to say such thing one day, but maybe Kyungsoo was right about Jongin. Kyungsoo had always seen the good in everyone.

“Kyungsoo, that fool,” Junmyeon thought with a smile.

“I’d prefer him being far away but alive than…,” Jongin took a sip of the whiskey, “but that doesn’t matter anymore.”

“Well, if that was the ‘truth’ you wanted to tell me,” said Jongin, standing up from the armchair, and signaled that the older was no longer welcomed in his house. Junmyeon didn’t miss the hint, for he stood up as well, but not before he’d pulled out a USB stick from his pocket, laying it on the table.

“One day before the kidnapping, he asked me to give you this… after he’s gone, of course,” Junmyeon explained, “he thought he was leaving you for good, so it was…”

The older paused.

“… his goodbye.”

\--------- << >> \---------

His whole body was paralyzed. All Jongin needed to do was click play, but his fingers couldn’t move. After Suho had left, Jongin thought he’d be dying to play the video… Soo’s last message. Yet, a part of him was shaking. Half of a drink later, Jongin made it to click play. The gang leader held his breath, but Soo was nowhere to be seen. The video had started, and it showed their bedroom. The camera was pointing directly at the bed and judged by the angle, it must have been placed on the dresser. Jongin wondered when Soo took this video. All the hints he could take was how bright the room on the screen was. A part of the window was captured, and Jongin could tell it was a sunny day. The silver vase on the nightstand reflected the sunlight, and it was blinding.

Suddenly, the camera juddered as if someone was adjusting its angle. Jongin widened his eyes as Soo appeared on the screen. He shouldn’t be surprised, but why was he shaking?

“Hi, Jongin,” just by the sound of Soo’s voice Jongin’s body tensed up. The younger backed away from the camera and sat down on the bed. Jongin leaned in, focusing on the display until all he noticed was the image of Soo – as if he was there in the room with Soo, as if Soo was speaking to him directly.

“Well,” the younger said, looking straight into the lens. His lips parted. He was ready to say something, but nothing came out. Lowered his head, Soo took a deep breath before turning back to the camera.

“If you’re watching this, I will be overseas already. You must be very angry at me right now,” Soo smiled sadly.

“I know I don’t have the right to ask for your forgiveness, but I still own you an explanation and an apology. I wish I could have done this in person.” The next sentence seemed like it were a thousand times harder to say. Soo’s lips trembled.

“I can’t stay by your side, because…Jongin, I’m not Byun Baekhyun,” the younger confessed.

“Oh gosh, you will never forgive me for this,” Soo talked to himself.

“I know we married by mistake, but to me it was fate. Even though it was short, I’m so glad I met you,” taking a deep breath, Soo continued.

“In the beginning, I wanted to escape as soon as possible. You were so scary back then,” Soo chuckled at the memories. “But as time goes by, you’ve become someone I treasured so much… so much until the point, I thought I couldn’t leave you… When I said I love you, I never lied. I might never love someone as much as I love you ever again. But-”

Feeling ashamed, Soo lowered his head, like he had done it numerous times in the video. It took him a moment to find his courage and looked at the camera again.

“Jongin, we belong to different worlds, and I can’t let them crash. Because once that happens, people will get hurt, people who are important to you, and people who are important to me. I can’t put them in danger for my own happiness.” By that Jongin clenched his fists. Soo had been aware that Jongin would bring danger and sorrow. Soo had known it all along. Still, he couldn’t escape Jongin’s world.

“I shouldn’t do this, but I couldn’t stand the idea of you never knowing my real name, so… I’m Do Kyungsoo.” Soo laughed, while Jongin choked on air.

“Do Kyungsoo,” the older murmured. He couldn’t believe he finally knew it. His name.

“I know it’s ordinary, isn’t it?” Kyungsoo forced a smile, “but I really wish I could have heard you call me by that name even just for once.”

“Do Kyungsoo,” Jongin repeated. He would do anything, just so Kyungsoo could hear Jongin say his name.

“When I left, I made a choice for both of us. I’m sorry I made a decision for you. And I’m really really sorry for lying to you. I know you hate liars the most. You must really hate me now,” Kyungsoo pressed his lips together.

“I hope one day you can hate me less for hurting you so much. And it’s ok if you’ll never forgive me, but please don’t be afraid to love again. You have to be happy, Jongin, because you deserve it.” Kyungsoo blinked, trying to hold back his tears.

“I’m sorry I can’t be by your side. I love you, Kim Jongin, and I’ll always be yours,” Kyungsoo said farewell. A tear fell down his cheek. Then the screen became black.

\------- << >> \-------

Three years later

Jongin raised his head and looked at the sky. The blue was almost blinding. There was barely a cloud. Jongin wondered why the air in the mountains still remained its coldness despite the hot summer. When the lady at the ticket counter told him that there wouldn’t be a bus to the next village during the weekend, Jongin thought he’d misheard her for she was speaking English with an accent that made it difficult for Jongin to understand. But now he realized why the locals didn’t need a bus. The footpath of ‘about an hour’, as the lady said, was so enjoyable. It would be a shame to miss the sun on your skin, the wind in your hair, and the fresh air in your lungs.

Arrived, Jongin treated himself to a cold wheat beer. “German beer is still the best,” he thought and drank off the glass at once. As he was about to order another drink, he was interrupted by a loud crash followed by a woman’s voice. Jongin didn’t understand what she just yelled at the man who had his hand on her butt, causing her to drop the serving tray. Yet, that wasn’t necessary. It was too obvious. The restaurant was only half full, but the guests already began to whisper. A family with children had moved their seats outside because of the fuss.

“Nein,” screamed the waitress as the drunken man grabbed her by her waist, trying to pull her on his lap. This time Jongin knew very well what she said.

“The lady said ‘No’,” Jongin hissed at the groper, and the next second, he knocked him down. The woman tore away from the drunken guest, hiding behind Jongin.

“Where are you?” stuttered the man in his broken English as he leaned on the table to stand up straight, “I mean who are you? You know who I am?” He screamed “I” so loud, the whole village might have heard him.

“And if you were the Emperor of China, no means no,” replied Jongin.

“You Sackgesicht,” yelled the guest, ready to jump on Jongin. However, he was held back by the owner of the restaurant. The owner was a huge man who looked quite strong for his late fifties. He was able to hold back the groper while apologizing to Jongin and all the other guests like it were his daily business.

After making sure the owner dragged the drunken man out of the local, Jongin got down to help the waitress picking up the broken dishes.

“Thank you for helping me,” she said, and Jongin nodded.

“Please, take a seat. I’ll bring you another beer and something to eat. It’s on the house, of course.”

“That’s really not necessary. It wasn’t a big deal,” Jongin objected.

“It is to me,” responded the waitress, and Jongin accepted the offer.

Sitting down, Jongin realized a cut on his hand. “It must have been the shards”, Jongin thought. The cut wasn’t deep. Jongin barely felt it. Still, it was bleeding more than expected. Pressed a napkin on the cut, Jongin watched how it turned red in a second. As he reached for another one, there was no napkin left.

Then a small hand waved some napkins in front of Jongin’s face. Jongin looked up and found a little boy standing before him.

“Brauchst du mehr?” The little one asked in German, confusing Jongin.

“Excuse me?” Jongin replied and in a flash, the boy switched to English, like it were his mother tongue.

“Do you need more?” He repeated his question.

“Yes, thank you,” replied Jongin, and the boy laid the pile of napkins on Jongin’s sound hand.

“Does it hurt much?”

“No, it doesn’t”; Jongin answered.

“You should let Doctor Koo treat it.”

“I’m good. I don’t need the doctor.”

“Do you not like doctors?” The small human asked.

“Not really,” confessed Jongin.

“I don’t like doctors either. But I like Doctor Koo,” the little boy replied, inviting himself to sit down at Jongin’s table on his own.

“He is not like Doctor Stinky,” he talked to Jongin as if they have always been friends.

“Doctor Stinky?” Jongin chuckled.

“He was the doctor before, but mom said he is old and he doesn’t need to work anymore, so he gave his office to Doctor Koo. I like Doctor Koo. He doesn’t smell bad like Doctor Stinky and he gives me sweets every time,” the little boy began to talk, “and the doctor’s office smells nice since Doctor Koo came. Mom said it’s lavada. I didn’t know what’s lavada, so mom told me it’s the flowers on the window. They are violet and smell nice. Mom said they smell calming and you can make tea out of them too.” Listening to the young boy, Jongin tensed up. Doctor Koo? Lavender? What a coincidence!

“Do you mean lavender?” Jongin asked as the boy finally took a break to breathe.

“Uhm, lavada,” exclaimed the boy.

“Little one, how..”

“I’m not ‘little one’. I’m Johnny,” the boy corrected Jongin, causing the older to apologize.

“Sorry Johnny, how old is that Doctor Koo?”

“He is old~,” the young boy answered, emphasizing the last word.

“Oh,” Jongin tried to hide his disappointment, “how old is he?”

“He is-,” Johnny titled his head, thinking.

“Old like you,” he exclaimed after a second. Jongin suppressed his laughter. To a little human, he must seem like an old man.

“And how does that Doctor Koo look like?”

“Mom said he is a ‘hot-pie’. I think that means he is cute because pies are sweet. But I think he looks cool, like a pirate because he has a scar next to his eye.” Johnny explained enthusiastically, not noticing how Jongin’s face had darkened.

“Really? Where exactly is his scar?” The older questioned.

“Hmm, here,” Johnny said, pointing at his right eyebrow – at the same spot as Kyungsoo’s scar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the second-last chapter. I'm missing you guys already. Please leave a comment. I hope you guys liked this chapter.


	42. ♡ Mosaic

\--->> 9 months after Kyungsoo’s death <<\---

Chanyeol tightened his grip on Baekhyun’s hand, pulling the other up the road. Both exhausted, hungry, and thirsty, but Baekhyun was especially mad. For some unknown reason, Chanyeol had insisted on climbing to the top of this dammed mountain. Now they both have been lost for half of the day and the sun is setting. They have drunken their last drop of water hours ago, and no single soul was in sight.

The thought of spending the night in the wood scared Baekhyun, and his legs shook even more. Just then, they saw an abandoned church. Right next to it was a gravestone that looked as old and as abandoned as the church. A cold chill ran through Baekhyun’s neck. Who would build a church in the middle of nowhere? And who would bury a person here? Baekhyun hesitated to follow Chanyeol who was nothing but glad to find a place to stay over the night. Baekhyun grabbed on Chanyeol’s sleeves, holding back his husband.

“Are you sure about going in there? This place is so odd.”

“It’s old, but it’s better than sleeping outside.” Chanyeol misheard odd for old.

“To be honest, I’d rather sleep outside. This place looks like it is…”

“…haunted,” Baekhyun whispered the last part.

“Baekhyun, don’t be silly.”

Whined and against his own will, Baekhyun followed Chanyeol inside.

The air smelled like old wood and dust. The sun was setting low. The last sunlight shined through the broken glass window, making the last fractals left on the window appear as colourful patterns on the ground. It was magical how all the fear disappeared. Instead, Baekhyun felt peace.

Looked at Chanyeol, Baekhyun realised the other was already staring at him. Their eyes immediately locked, and their breathes synchronized. This moment was so perfect, and nothing could make it more beautiful… except for Chanyeol who took Baekhyun’s hand and went down on one knee.

“This was not how I planned it to be,” the taller one said and Baekhyun could feel his heart racing, “I wanted to do it in the sunset and on the top of the mountain. I wanted to tell you how much I love you and how thankful I am to you. I wanted this moment to be perfect because I know you deserved nothing less. I’ve checked the weather, the wind direction, the exact time of sunset. I thought I could or I should control all that, but maybe I was wrong. You come to my life was unplanned. Us falling in love was unplanned. And yet, that was the best thing that could happen to me… So…” Chanyeol took a deep breath.

“Byun Baekhyun, would you stay by my side until the day we die? Would you marry me?”

“Are you kidding me?” Baekhyun stuttered, trying to hold his tears.

“I’m not a believer, but even I wouldn’t lie in a church.” Chanyeol was dead serious.

“You cheesy stupid nerd, we’re already married.”

“That doesn’t count. That time you didn’t even say your real name.”

“Park Chanyeol, I don’t know what to do.” Baekhyun wiped away his tears.

“You can give me an answer because my knee starts hurting here.” Chanyeol joked and a smile brightened up Baekhyun’s face.

“Yes,” Baekhyun exclaimed, pulling up his giant.

“Yes, I will marry you.” He repeated before their lips locked.

______________________

\--->> Three years later… Somewhere in Italy <<\---

He knew it was coming. Still, Baekhyun jumped as the cork shot into the air with a loud bang. Chanyeol let out a quiet chuckle, only to earn a hard punch on his upper arm.

“Don’t laugh at me,” Baekhyun pouted, and Chanyeol apologized, still having a smile on his face.

Chanyeol poured the champagne into a glass and handed it to Baekhyun, before pouring himself a glass of orange juice.

“Congratulations on your graduation and on the job offers. Those companies recognize a genius designer when they see one.” Chanyeol said, raising the glass for a cheer.

“Thank you,” replied Baekhyun, and they both took a sip of their drinks.

“I’m so glad you’re no longer a student,” Chanyeol told his lover, “now I can openly hold your hand and openly kiss you on the campus.”

“What are you talking about?” Baekhyun tilted his head.

“You were never my professor. We weren’t even in the same faculty,” he added.

“Yeah, but I didn’t want the other students to think badly of you for being in a relationship with a professor.” Chanyeol patted the back of his head shyly.

“First of all, Professor Doctor Park Chanyeol,” Baekhyun teased the taller, knowing Chanyeol hated it when people called him by his full title, “we are not ‘in a relationship’. We’ve been married for almost two years already. Actually, we even got married twice. Get that in your head, you dummy.”

Chanyeol laughed at his husband’s faked anger. The memories of their wedding overwhelmed his mind with joy. Their “real” wedding took place at the beach in the Maldives where they had their first date. It was a private and small ceremony with no one else but their closest friends and family members. Baekhyun had tears in his eyes as the pastor called him by his real name and announced them to be married. Chanyeol still remembered how his hands were shaking as he kissed Baekhyun at sunset. He was so afraid it could be just a dream for he still couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have that person by his side forever, as long as they both shall live.

“Second, are you telling me you’re having naughty professor-student fantasies about us?” Baekhyun smirked.

“You’ve got me there,” winked Chanyeol.

“Well, officially I’m still a student until midnight. We still got a few hours,” Baekhyun said, slowly approached Chanyeol. The smirk remained on his lips. “Shall we fulfill your fantasy?”

“Professor~,” Chanyeol’s burned up as Baekhyun leaned over, whispering in his ear with the most seductive voice. Closed his eyes, Chanyeol breathed in until his lungs were filled with nothing else but Baekhyun’s sweet scent.

Just as they were about to lock their lips, both phones wouldn’t stop vibrating. Growled, they grabbed their phones, and at the same moment, they both gasped. Whatever was on the screens, it got their attention for minutes until their eyes left the displays. Staring at each other, they searched for confirmation by the other.

“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun stuttered, “did you get the same Google alert?”

“I…,” even Chanyeol was speechless for a moment. Synchronized, they rushed to the living room, turning on the television. As they switched to the Korean TV, the reporter was already talking about the breaking news.

“…Prepared by the biggest and longest undercover operation in the history of the police departments, a racier this huge has never happened. On the same day and almost at the same time, the police took down two of the biggest criminal syndicates in several cities.

Byun Sooman, the new Black Lotus’ leader was injured during the fire exchange, but he was arrested alive. Three years ago, Sooman ordered the murder of the former leader who also was his brother and took over the syndicate. He was also suspected of murdering his nephew, Byun Baekhyun, who was found dead in the Han River.

The coordination of the operation was taken by Minister Park himself despite his presidential candidacy. After this success, there is no doubt, he is going to be the most promised candidate for this election.

According to the police department, the police worked with several informants from both syndicates. Especially, one of them was a high ranked member of the gang. It is unclear when the trial will take place, but there is no doubt this is going to be the biggest trial of the year.”

The reporter announced, and both men held their breaths.

“Is it really over?” Chanyeol asked.

“Is it?” Baekhyun repeated, only to answer the question the next second.

“It is over, Chanyeol,” he exclaimed, “it’s over.”

“I can’t believe it’s over,” Chanyeol said with joy.

After a second of silence, Baekhyun replied, heading back to the kitchen, as Chanyeol followed him.

“I need another drink,” Baekhyun said.

“Me too. Can I have one?” Chanyeol asked, and Baekhyun widened his eyes.

“Champagne?” He asked in disbelief. As Chanyeol nodded, he frowned even more.

“But you don’t drink,” Baekhyun stated, “I mean… I’m confused.”

Shyly, Chanyeol chuckled. “I do now,” he responded.

“What’s going on?” Baekhyun narrowed his eyes. “When we first met, you did drink. Then suddenly you stopped and now out of nowhere you drink again?”

“Why?” Baekhyun asked, placing his fingers on his chin like he was a detective.

“Do you remember our first date?” Chanyeol asked. Immediately, a smirk appeared on Baekhyun’s face.

“Of course, I do. I remember our first night too,” winked Baekhyun.

“Well, I don’t,” Chanyeol admitted.

“Yeah, I remember that too,” Baekhyun’s voice changed as the memories came to his mind. Baekhyun crossed his arms, looking like he was about to scold Chanyeol again.

“Yeah,” Chanyeol faked a smile, “and that’s the reason.”

“I don’t get it,” Baekhyun shook his head.

“Well, we had - as you said - a “wonderful first night”, but I couldn’t remember because I was drunk.”

“Chanyeol, you’re not telling me you haven’t drunk the whole time because you’re afraid of another hangover?” Baekhyun’s smile faded right away as he noticed Chanyeol’s seriousness.

“Really?” Baekhyun asked in disbelief.

“I knew you could disappear anytime” Chanyeol confessed. A wave of old guilt hit Baekhyun once again. Every time he thought about Chanyeol knowing his true identity the whole time, he couldn’t help but feel bad.

“I’m sorry,” Baekhyun sighed. No matter how often Chanyeol had told him not to apologize, his mind hadn’t learned yet.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant… I knew our time could be limited, so I wasn’t missing a second of it by being drunk… You know, just in case.”

“Just in case I’d leave you?” Baekhyun questioned. Tears welled up in his eyes.

“Baekhyun, you’re not going to cry, are you?” Chanyeol asked, only to earn a punch in his belly.

“Do you expect me not to cry after saying something cheesy like that?” Baekhyun yelled, wiping away his tears while Chanyeol pulled him in for a tight embrace.

“I’m sorry,” Chanyeol whispered, leaning his head against Baekhyun’s.

“But it’s all over now. We’re free. And you’re staying by my side, right? Forever, right?” He added.

“Drink your champagne,” replied Baekhyun as he lifted his head, looking at the man in front of him.

“Is that a yes? I’ll take that as a yes,” Chanyeol smiled. This was the ending he had prayed for.

______________________

\--->> Korea. Three years ago. Two days before Kyungsoo’s death. <<\---

“Are you crazy? No one survives a fall from that height,” Kris disagreed.

“Wouldn’t the water reduce the impact? They do that a lot in movies,” Xiumin asked, putting down his energy drink.

“Those movies are wrong. Kris is right, the water would be hard like concrete when you fall from that height.” Chanyeol replied.

“How about a parachute?” Lay suggested.

“No, the fall would take too much time. It’s impossible to hold Jongin back for so long.” Suho objected. The older sighed. They have been discussing an escape plan for almost two hours and he was losing his patience.

“We can use a small explosive charge,” Kris said casually like it were a daily suggestion. As everyone looked at him puzzled, he started explaining.

“Just a small explosion to move the water. It’ll feel like pudding when he falls into it. We just need to time the explosion very well. If it’s too early, it won’t work. If it’s too late,…”

“…he’ll be pudding.” Kris finished the sentence after a short pause as if he wanted to be dramatic, not knowing the real drama was still to come.

“What’s going on?” The door flung open and Baekhyun entered Chanyeol’s laboratory.

“Are you guys talking about Kyungsoo?” Baekhyun narrowed his eyes. His hands clenched.

“Why did you leave me out? And is that your plan to save him?” Baekhyun yelled the word “save” with sarcasm.

“We wanted to tell you once we figured out a plan. Sorry?” Suho tried to calm Baekhyun down, unsuccessfully.

“Is that what you called a plan? Blow a bomb under his feet?”

“I know it sounds dangerous, but…”

“It sounds dangerous because it is,” Baekhyun screamed the last part so loud, even Chanyeol startled for a second. He had never seen Baekhyun being so mad before.

“As I said, it’s safe if we got the right timing. It’s basically just a math problem.” Kris argued.

“Yeah, just a math problem that’s gonna get my brother killed if we get the wrong answer. Do you want to do it? Do you want to do the calculation?”

Kris silenced, so did the others until the silence became unbearable.

“I’ll do it,” Chanyeol suggested.

“Chanyeol… you’re not.”

“There is no other way.”

“I don’t care,” Baekhyun shook his head and took a step back, “We’ll figure out something else. You’re all elite assassins or whatever. Think of a better solution.”

Sighed, Chanyeol grabbed Baekhyun’s trembling hands, holding them so tight Baekhyun couldn’t back away.

“You trust me, don’t you?” He asked, locking their eyes.

“Of course, I do but this … I can’t risk that… I won’t be able to handle it if my brother is dead and you’re the one to blame.” Baekhyun explained and in a split second he realised what he just said. Was he being selfish? What if this was Kyungsoo’s only chance and he ruined it only because he didn’t want to risk the comfortable life he was living in?

“I won’t let that happen. Trust me. Let us help Kyungsoo.” Chanyeol tried one more. Baekhyun could sense the tension. Chanyeol really meant it. Taking a deep breath, Baekhyun nodded. The smartest person he knew was helping his brother, he shouldn’t feel this anxiety.

“I don’t want to ruin the moment, but…” Lay raised his hand, “how do we hide the noise? It’s likely impossible not to hear an explosion.”

“I’ve thought of that already. We can distract Jongin with a car crash. Again, it’s all about the timing.” Kris said, looked at Suho, knowing it would be Suho to be in that car.

“That could work.” Xiumin nodded.

“Unbelievable, we have a plan,” Lay stated half-jokingly, earning a dangerous glance of the others.

“I would call it a plan if he jumps, but he is surely not insane enough to jump from a cliff.” Chen objected.

“We need to tell him the plan,” Chanyeol murmured before turning to Baekhyun, “didn’t he call you?”

“Yes, but he called from a burned phone that has been deactivated since then. He said he’ll send someone though.” Baekhyun answered.

“He’ll send someone?” Chanyeol repeated and by that everyone looked at Suho, expecting an explanation.

“It’s not me,” the older exclaimed, shaking his head.

…

“That boy, what did he mean when he said he’d send someone. Who’s that someone?” Suho wondered. What other “someone” did Kyungsoo had on his side?

That night Junmyeon couldn’t sleep either, as if he knew someone was about to knock on his door.

“Kyungsoo sent me,” the man in front of him stated casually.

“I can’t believe it,” said Suho under his breath although he wanted to scream out loud.

“Namjoon,” he added.

“Am I hallucinating? You’re on his side? Don’t you hate him?” Suho questioned after offering the unexpected guest a seat.

“I do but that motherfucker can be very convincing…”

“..by being right,” Namjoon added, rolling his eyes as if he couldn’t believe he said it himself.

“About what?” Suho asked, still standing, not letting his guard down.

“About Jongin’s weakness. As long as he’s around, Jongin is vulnerable. He needs to disappear… for good.”

Namjoon’s voice gave Suho a chill running down his back.

“And why didn’t you make him disappear? For good?” Suho emphasised the last part. He knew very well, if Namjoon chose to get rid of Kyungsoo, it wouldn’t be his first kill. The older wondered what made this cold-blooded loner cooperate with strangers to help someone he hated. Namjoon only answered with a shrug. Yet, after a sip of his coffee, Suho figured it out.

“Oh, you’re afraid of Kim Jongin,” Suho stated, and Namjoon rolled his eyes.

“Do you know what Kim Jongin will do when he realises his lover died?” The guard asked and it took Suho a moment to answer.

“I don’t know, he might run amok, but who knows for sure what’s going to happen?”

“Exactly, who knows?” Namjoon replied. A smirk appeared on Suho’s face. The older leaned back in his seat.

“I see. You wanted a backup plan just in case things go off course.”

“It’s much easier to raise the dead when… you know the dead are not really dead.”

Suho nodded in agreement. Jongin wasn’t a person you wanted to mess with.

After a while, Suho decided he could trust Namjoon, at least as long as they both wanted the same thing. The detective informed the other man about the message they had for Kyungsoo. He even made Namjoon repeated it two times, just to make sure the guard wouldn’t forget anything.

“You do know Jongin won’t accept his death until he sees a body, right?” Namjoon said after listening to the plan.

“I know. I took care of that already.”

“How?” Namjoon had to admit he was amused by the older. Maybe he had underestimated Suho the whole time.

“I have a body that would pass as him,” Suho explained.

“When did you…?”

“Just know that I did,” the detective interrupted the other. No, he hadn’t killed anyone, but stealing a corpse wasn’t that legal either. Then again, he was trying to save his friend’s life. Moreover, the dead one was once a gang member, a rapist. Suho didn’t feel sorry much for that man.

“Was it his idea? You wouldn’t have been so far-seeing.”

“Well, that boy does know Kim Jongin very well and he tends to overthink everything he does.”

“Damnit, I hate that jerk.” Namjoon blurted out his thoughts.

“And still… you’re here.”

“And still… I’m here.” Namjoon admitted.

______________________

Back in the present-day, while Junmyeon was watching the same news as Chanyeol and Baekhyun, a young woman in a police uniform knocked on his door.

“Chief, the welcome ceremony for the new recruits is about to start,” she said, holding the door open like she wasn’t about to leave without him.

“I’m coming,” Suho replied, but a simple gesture with his hand told her to leave. Bowed, the young woman stepped back and closed the door. Junmyeon could hear the crowd outside getting louder and louder. Nevertheless, he grabbed his phone, typing in a short text message.

“Ok,” he then exclaimed and took a deep breath, “the academy chief shouldn’t be late.”

With that energy, Junmyeon walked through the door and welcomed all those young people to their new stage of life.

…

At the same time but miles away, at the other end of the world, a phone vibrated. Looked at the display the man breathed out in relief. Despite being in the mountains, for the first time, he felt like he was able to breathe freely.

“They’re all behind bars. Thank you for your cooperation. You’re free now.”

“Free,” he repeated the word he couldn’t believe to be true. He was free now. Free. Only if he could have Kyungsoo by his side, the world would be perfect.

But the world wasn’t perfect.

.

.

.

“Dr. Soo’s office? It’s down the road, next to the garden with the scary dog,” the little boy’s voice repeated in his mind as Jongin rushed to the only doctor’s office in town. But his legs seemed to become heavier with every step.

Oh, what would he do to see Kyungsoo’s face again? Yet, a part of him doubted that he was ready.

Jongin noticed immediately he had arrived at the praxis as he passed by a garden and a golden retriever barked at him.

“I don’t have time to play with you,” he told the dog whose tail was wagging. As if the golden retriever understood Jongin, it whined immediately. Sighed, Jongin stopped at the fence.

“You are not the best watchdog, are you?” Jongin teased, petting the dog under the chin. Again, the dog barked at him, and Jongin laughed.

“Ok, my bad. You’re a good boy,” he apologized.

“I would like to play with you, but I need to find that Doctor Soo, do you hear me?” Jongin was ready to leave as the dog began to growl and bark at him. Confused, Jongin turned around and found an old woman approaching him.

“If you’re looking for the doctor, he has left,” she said.

“I take it back. You’re a good watchdog,” Jongin told the golden retriever before walking to the woman.

“Do you know Doctor Soo?” He asked.

“Yes, I do. Everyone knows Doctor Soo. He is the only doctor in this small town. Are you a friend of him? His dog seems to like you.”

“That’s his dog?” Jongin pointed at the retriever in surprise.

“It is. Usually, it doesn’t like strangers. It must remember you.” The woman told Jongin.

“That’s impossible. I have never met him,” Jongin stated.

“The dog?” She asked.

“Yes, the dog,” Jongin clarified.

“So, are you a friend?”

Jongin hesitated for he wasn’t sure how to answer her question. He didn’t even know if that Doctor Soo was his Kyungsoo.

“Do you know where he is?” Jongin asked back.

“There is a full moon today, so he will surely be at the bridge.”

“The bridge? The Devil's Bridge?” Jongin asked confusingly.

“Yes, but in this town, we call it the lovers’ bridge,” the woman said, “the legend says once a year when the last full moon of autumn shines, whoever crosses the bridge will be able to see their loved one from the other side. Once a year, the dead and the living are allowed to meet again, as long as the moon shines on the bridge.”

“I’ve heard about that legend. But it’s said there is another tale about a pact with the Devil who agrees to build the bridge, but in return he wants the first soul to cross it. After the bridge was built overnight, the village headman outwitted the Devil by letting an animal cross the bridge first.”

“That’s right, but they are not different tales. They both belong to the same legend. At some time, people stopped telling the story to its end. I guess it’s hard to believe that the Devil isn’t all bad.”

“What did they skip? Tell me the whole story,” Jongin pleaded, “please.”

“Well, men are fools. They tend to overrate themselves when they are in charge. That’s why they often ruin other’s lives.” The old woman said, and Jongin looked down. It was like she was talking about him as if she knew his past.

“The village headman thought he could outwit the Devil with a cheap trick, but the Devil was a powerful creature. Don’t forget, Lucifer once was an archangel by God’s side.”

“So, what happened?”

“The Devil was outraged about the broken deal. He made an immense flood to wipe out the entire town. In the middle of the chaos, no one knew what to do. The people begged for mercy, but the water still rose. As they were about to lose their hope, the headman’s daughter crossed the bridge, offering the Devil her soul. The water disappeared and the people in town were saved. The deal was done, the Devil took the headman’s daughter and left a bridge that remains until today.”

“But why is it called the lovers’ bridge?” Jongin wondered.

“Patience,” said the woman, raising her hand. Then, she continued.

“The headman’s daughter was engaged. The fiancé begged the Devil to return her. He said wouldn’t leave the bridge until she’s back. He waited and waited without eating or drinking until he was about to die. That’s when the Devil appeared. It allowed him to see her once a year.”

“During the last full moon of autumn,” Jongin realised.

“Yes,” replied the woman.

“And did he?”

“What?”

“Did he come to the bridge every year? Until his last day?” Jongin asked and the woman chuckled.

“Young man, it’s just a legend,” she said before walking away.

“Wait,” Jongin called after her, “the headman’s daughter, was she dead?”

By that the woman stopped, turning her head to Jongin.

“What do you mean?” She asked back.

“You said the Devil took her, but does that mean she was dead?” Jongin wondered, “On the bridge, does he meet his real fiancée or just her soul?”

The old woman raised her eyebrows. She seemed to be amused by Jongin’s questions.

“Gute Frage,” she murmured before waving at him, taking her leave.

“Wait! What did you say?” Jongin shouted after her, but this time, she didn’t turn back.

“If you want to meet the Doctor, you should hit the trail,” she replied loudly. Just then Jongin realised, the sun had been set.

…

His lips parted as Jongin unknowingly whispered a “wow”. The full moon was so bright that the stone bridge clearly reflected in the water. The bridge and its reflection formed a flawless circle, something so close to perfection in the middle of nature. The sounds of the river flowing, the smell of wood and wet mud in the air, the wind that brought a touch of coldness… something about this scene was beautiful, but also dark and mystical. Just now, Jongin understood what the old woman told him. This place is too beautiful to be called the devil’s bridge.

Jongin followed the people to the bridge. Some of them looked like tourists for all they did was taking pictures. Yet, Jongin recognized the locals. They are well dressed. Some are even holding flowers. Some stared into the night as if they were searching for someone, while some had a smile on their faces as if they had already found it.

Jongin checked on every person on the bridge. None of them had a slight semblance of Kyungsoo. His eyes lightened up every time someone stepped on the bridge, just to be darkened by disappointment in the next second. But that was ok, the night was still young, and he was willing to wait.

The former leader didn’t go mad. He wasn’t really believing the legend the old woman told him. He wasn’t expecting to see Kyungsoo. Still, a part of him wished for a miracle. He couldn’t explain why he was really on the bridge, waiting. Still, there was something more than meeting that Doctor Soo. Jongin knew very well, even if that Doctor weren’t supposed to be here, he would still be at this place tonight... on this bridge of lovers… under the last full moon of autumn.

“Tell daddy goodbye,” Jongin heard the woman next to him said to her son.

“Goodbye, daddy. See you next year,” the familiar voice of a little boy caught his attention. Jongin turned to his left and found Johnny, carefully laying a bouquet of flowers on the ground.

“Hey there, little one,” he greeted.

“I’m not ‘little one’. I’m Johnny.” The boy replied, making Jongin apologize with a shy smile.

“Mister,” Johnny beamed, “are you here to meet your dad too?”

“No, I’m here to meet my husband,” Jongin answered with hesitation.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” said the woman next to Johnny, apparently his mother.

“And I’m sorry for yours,” replied Jongin. The woman nodded before bowing down to her son.

“It’s getting late, Johnny. We should go home.”

“Ok,” answered the young boy, waving at Jongin, and then at the other side of the bridge.

“Goodbye, Mister. Goodbye, daddy.”

Jongin watched Johnny and his mom disappearing in the night. He hadn’t noticed the smile on his face as he waved back at that little boy. For a truly short moment, he was distracted, until he felt a tap on his shoulder, and someone called his name.

Immediately, he turned around. His face lightened up.

“Kyungsoo,” he called. Yet, to his disappointment, the person in front of him wasn’t the one he wanted to see.

“What the hell?” He said. His eyes widened.

“Hello, boss,” the man greeted with a bow.

“Namjoon,” Jongin stated. The legend might just become true, but what a joke. This wasn’t the dead Jongin wanted to meet.

.

.

.

At the same second as Kyungsoo stepped on the bridge, Jongin had already spotted him. It was dark and Kyungsoo was still far away. His hair was a bit shorter and he seemed to lose some weight, but Jongin would always recognize the Kyungsoo’s silhouette.

As his body moved on his own, reaching for Kyungsoo, parts of the conversation with Namjoon flashed back in his mind.

“Boss, he is smart… very smart. Maybe the smartest of all the people I have met. Did you think he didn’t have an escape plan? Every little detail… Do you really think it’s a coincidence that you’re here? At this time of the year?”

…

“You have changed a lot.”

“What about you, boss? Have you changed? If you’re here to claim him yours, I can’t…”

“Namjoon,” Jongin’s voice firmed, “I owe you one for protecting him all this time.”

“He was still your weakest point. I did it to protect you.”

“And for that, I am more than thankful.”

“But,” Jongin made it clear, “keep yourself out of this. It’s between Kyungsoo and me.”

“Boss, don’t you understand? He left because he must figure out his feeling for you. He said if he ever comes back to you, it’ll be his own will.”

“And here he is, at a place he knew I would find. And he didn’t remove his scar. Do you think I don’t know what it means? Do you think I don’t understand his feelings? I know him better than you do. Don’t let it go to your head!”

“Of course, you do. But do you understand yours? Have you figured out what you want? Because he deserves more than someone who thinks of him as something you could own.” Jongin clenched his teeth. Taking a deep breath, he replied.

“As I said this is between Kyungsoo and me. I don’t owe you any explanation. There is only one thing I want you to know. I’m not here to win him back.”

“You’re not?” Namjoon doubted.

Jongin would have lied if he said he didn’t want Kyungsoo back, but he had to admit that wasn’t a decision for him to make. This time it was Kyungsoo’s choice. Kyungsoo being alive was all he had been prayed for, and this was a miracle that was about to get real.

“There is just… something I need to tell him.”

“That’s all?”

“You wouldn’t understand. When he left, he apologized for so many things, but I never got the same chance.”

“A chance? To tell him you forgive him?”

“No, a chance to apologize.”

.

.

.

Holding his breath, Jongin tried to slow down his heartbeats. There it was. His chance. How often had he even imagine their reunion? But this topped it all. They both, under the moonlight, on a stone bridge, embraced by nature, listening to the river under them and the wind around them… it was so beautiful, like in a fairy tale. Thus, Jongin feared Kyungsoo would disappear at sunrise.

Jongin noticed the exact moment as their eyes locked, the moment Kyungsoo saw him. The expression on Kyungsoo’s face changed immediately. His eyes widened and his lips trembled. Then, Kyungsoo bit on his lower lip. Jongin remembered how the smaller always did that when he was nervous. Kyungsoo’s eyes welled up with tears, even though he was smiling. The smaller rushed to Jongin and in that moment, everything was like in slow motion. Jongin had waited for three years, but these three seconds were unbearable.

As they reached each other, standing so close they could feel the other’s warmth, and Kyungsoo raised his head to look at Jongin, the taller knew this wasn’t an illusion. Still, Jongin hesitated to touch the person in front of him for he feared he might be wrong.

“Kyungsoo,” he said, and a tear fell down the smaller’s face. At that moment, Jongin hadn’t realised it was the first time Kyungsoo heard him saying his real name.

“I’m so s…” Jongin hadn’t finished the sentence as Kyungsoo locked their lips. Jongin froze for a split second before he closed his eyes and kissed back. He was about to ask the Kyungsoo for forgiveness, but now, he had already got his answer. It was nicely strange how in the middle of a forest, in a faraway country, on a bridge he had never seen before, Jongin was aware of something, something he had never been so sure about.

Finally, he was home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed the last chapter.  
> Thank you so much for reading and supporting. I really appreciate you guys. *Sending kisses*  
> I will miss you so much. Please, take care. Stay healthy, stay safe.
> 
> PS: There will be an epilog. I'll update it soon.


	43. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who is still not over this story hahaha. That's right. C'est moi.

Take 1:

“Mister Jong, I’m scared,” Johnny tightened his grip on Jongin’s trouser, hiding behind the tall man. Jongin didn’t know when it happened, but Johnny had started coming over very often. The little boy spent time with Jongin whenever he could. Kyungsoo said they looked like father and son. Jongin didn’t hate that idea.

“You don’t need to be scared. I’m right here,” Jongin comforted Johnny, pushing the small human forwards.

“But he is dangerous.” Johnny protested, still holding on Jongin.

“He is a puppy,” Jongin explained, “Look at him. He just wants to play.”

Johnny whined as the dog barked, wagging his tail.

“Come, give me your hand,” said Jongin, placing Johnny’s hand on the dog’s head.

“Apple, be a good boy,” he told the golden retriever. Apple continued wagging this tails, not moving, allowing Johnny to pet him. Immediately, the little boy beamed as his fear disappeared.

“Mister Jong, he is so cute.”

Take 2:

“Kyungsoo, can you get us some wine? It’s downstairs.” Kyungsoo nodded at his brother’s question.

“Sure,” he said, leaving the dining room. This wasn’t the first time Jongin and he visited Chanyeol and Baekhyun. Still, he hadn’t figured out why those two needed such a big wine cellar. They weren’t heavy drinkers after all.

…

“So how are you gonna do it?” Baekhyun asked, looking at Jongin, lowering his voice in a mysterious way.

“Do what?” Jongin turned his head, narrowing his eyes, as he placed the plates on the table.

“Proposing, dumbass,” Baekhyun slapped Jongin’s head like the taller man deserved it, and maybe he did.

“Why should I?” Jongin asked, still in confusion.

“You don’t want to marry my brother?” Baekhyun questioned, hands on his waist, ready to scold his brother’s stupid partner. 

“We’re already married,” Jongin argued. If he knew that he was going to be interrogated by Baekhyun, he would have helped Kyungsoo with the wine instead of staying here, setting the table with a psycho brother.

“Ghost, I should have saved that ‘dumbass’ for this,” sighed, Baekhyun murmured.

“That doesn’t count, my friend,” Chanyeol joined the conversation.

“Of course it does. We had a wedding and all,” Jongin tried again and all Baekhyun did was rolling his eyes.

“It doesn’t count. At that time you didn’t even know his name. That was the most unromantic wedding ever.”

“I wouldn’t be so loud. We were in the same situation,” Chanyeol warned, leaning closer to his husband.

“It’s ok. We had a new wedding with all those romantic stuff. You know, Flower, sunset and stuff,” Baekhyun replied, and Chanyeol froze for a second.

“Stuff?” He thought, “What were those ‘stuff’?”

“Kyungsoo is not like that. He doesn’t need that kind of romantic…” Jongin interrupted the couple, “do you think he would like a new wedding?”

“Yes,” The couple exclaimed at the same time, causing Jongin to flinch at the sudden noise.

“You can ask Chanyeol for advice. He is an expert,” Baekhyun joked, “When he proposed to me, we got lost in the mountain and almost froze to death.”

“Oh come on,” Chanyeol whined, “It wasn’t such a disaster.”

“It was,” Baekhyun teased.

“Just propose to Kyungsoo, Jongin. He loves you. He will say yes.” Chanyeol told his friend without noticing Kyungsoo had come back with two bottles of wine in his hands. Shocked by Chanyeol’s advice to Jongin, Kyungsoo bumped against the counter.

“I didn’t know which wine you guys want, so I got both, red and white.” Kyungsoo explained in a robotic voice, his eyes wide opened.

No one moved or say a word until Jongin gathered all his guts and walked towards Kyungsoo.

“Well,” he hesitated, slowly coming closer, taking the bottles off Kyungsoo’s hands for the smaller one looked like he was about to drop them.

“Do you want to?” He asked, “…marry me I mean … like a question, not an order. I mean…”

“Oh, Jongin,” Chanyeol murmured, covering his eyes. He couldn’t even look. Second-hand embarrassment was real. 

“Not now, Jongin. We didn’t mean do it right away.” Chanyeol whispered through clenched teeth but Jongin couldn’t hear him. It would have been too late anyway. Kyungsoo had heard everything clearly.

“Yes,” Kyungsoo beamed. A wide smile showed up on his face.

“I wi,” Kyungsoo was about to say yes while literally jumping on Jongin. But Baekhyun pulled him away.

“Oh no,” yelled Baekhyun. “You will not say yes to that clumsy proposal.”

“Baekhyun,” Jongin shouted out loud, not believing what just happened.

“I do not allow it.” Baekhyun screamed back.

“Honey, don’t.” Chanyeol gently said, holding Baekhyun back and freed Kyungsoo from his brother’s grip.

“It’s not your proposal,” Chanyeol added.

Now, being free to move, Kyungsoo stepped closer, lifted his head to look at Jongin’s eyes. He was looking for a hint that the older meant it. 

“Your brother is right. It should be romantic. I think we should…” Jongin stuttered.

“Ask me again.” Kyungsoo interrupted with a hopeful smile and sparkly eyes. His breathing was so loud everyone could hear it.

“Are you sure?”

“Ask me.”

Nodded, Jongin placed the bottle on the counter and got on his knee.

“Do Kyungsoo, will you marry me?” He asked, taking Kyungsoo’s hand.

By that Kyungsoo smiled wider.

“Yes, Kim Jongin, I will marry you.” He answered.

Take 3:

Jongin pulled up the blanket, making sure his fiancé was covered. Kyungsoo had laid his head on Jongin’s bare chest, running his fingers over the taller’s naked body.

“How about Egypt? I want to see the pyramids.” Kyungsoo suggested.

“Ok” Jongin replied. He wasn’t paying attention. He was focusing on the sunlight, dancing on Kyungsoo’s skin, and on the way Kyungsoo’s lips pouted a little every time he talked.

“Or how about South Africa? I’ve always wanted to go there but I never got to. But I haven’t been to Machu Picchu either and I can’t choose“

“Whatever you want,” replied Jongin and at this point Kyungsoo had realised someone wasn’t paying attention.

“Ok, let’s go to Narnia then. I’ll book first class in our wardrobe.” Kyungsoo said with sarcasm. Still, Jongin didn’t notice.

“Sounds good,” he said, only to earn a punch from Kyungsoo. 

“No, it does not. You jerk, are you even listening to me?” The smaller one scolded his fiancé, “I’m not planning our honeymoon by myself.”

“I’m sorry.” Jongin apologized, grabbing Kyungsoo’s hands, since he knew he deserved another hit. 

“I just don’t really care where our honeymoon takes place as long as we go together.” Jongin explained and placed a kiss on Kyungsoo’s lips. Kyungsoo pouted. Yet, his pout soon turned into a smile.

„Of course we’ll go together. That’s how honeymoons work.”


End file.
